


Fools and youth

by mallorysendings



Category: Terra Nova (TV)
Genre: F/F, Mark Reynolds/Maddy Shannon - Freeform, Romance, Teenage Pregnancy, Terra Nova - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 20:19:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5715769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mallorysendings/pseuds/mallorysendings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I began this many years ago in 2012. It was finished and forgotten. I even forgot i wrote it and sat down reading it and loved my Terra Nova fictions. I hope someone on here enjoys them too. Though its been nearly four years since i wrote it. I am sure the fandom has died down... But here is something that i hope reinvigorates it. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Terra Nova  
Fan fiction October 13, 2012  
Storyline surrounding Maddy Shannon/ Mark Reynolds: What would really happen? Season two twist. 

Chapter 1

Mark paced the path near the Shannon hut, He knew something was off with Maddy. She had been edgy and emotional for the past few weeks. He sat on the splintered bench that he knew would be replaced soon. The clean up after the shelling and occupation was slow moving on non-essential repairs. The wildlife needed to be kept out and the high fences were being still being repaired. But life was slowly going back to business as usual. 

He looked around him nervous thinking of Maddie. Perhaps it was all that the colony had been through that was weighing on her mind. Somehow he had to manage to make her happy again, and bring that smile to her eyes. Much for them had changed. Since that fateful night, their relationship had changed. After their encounter in the forest, It had been wonderful the intimacy that he had found with her, but in the past two maybe three weeks she was moody and distant.

His thought strayed to that fateful encounter many weeks before; When the Shannon party had been taken out of Terra Nova to the commander’s small base during the phoenix occupation. He and Maddy had been alone in the forest near camp, but within the perimeter. He had her against a tree kissing her deeply, and enthusiastically. Maddy teased him with her smiles but her inexperience kisses broke him. He could feel her desire taste it on her lips. It only fed his own. 

“Missed you so much.” Maddy said in-between kisses.

“Me too.” He smiled and resumed. Pushing up against her- a shriek came from the forest. And he broke free instantly.

“Carnator.” She said softly, fear lumped in her throat. 

Mark surveyed the forest and thought of the men’s positions in the trees above and the forest below. “Its okay. The perimeter is mined, besides you can double the call distance of a juvenile.” He said playing with her hair and looking into her face. He noticed a familiar look come over her face, he was in for a lesson. He smiled in preparation. 

“Eh actually they may be smaller, but juveniles are even more vicious. Kinda like hormonal teenagers with claws.” She said distractedly.

The moment she said Hormonal, Mark snapped, he had to taste those lips again. He felt like some Hormonally driven teenager and it was fantastic! His hand on her pushing her against the tree was intoxicating. 

Suddenly in the midst of his oral assault of this tempting girl whom was the subject of all of his adulthood fantasies, his worst nightmare came crashing through the brush, and no it was not a man eating prehistoric animal, it was just Mr. Shannon Maddie’s father. His blood cooled significantly. 

“Woah.” Jim uttered eyeing his oldest daughter and her… Suitor. Yeah suitor seemed a bearable term. But what they seemed to have just been doing was not bearable for his fatherly brain. Oh god, how was he going to blank this from his mind. His daughter looked like-Deer caught in headlights? What to say to your teenage daughter when you have suddenly dropped in on them doing….ugh can’t think about that. “Oh, don’t mind me, I’m passing through.” Yeah, he could not acknowledge what he had just seen. 

Mark was terrified of the man and all he wanted was to be out of his presence soon as possible. “I got sentry duty,” he ducked out fast up the path. As he left for the shift that did not start for three more hours he rolled his eyes in his cowardice, he wanted Maddy back in his arms. His lips were still damp from her kisses. He smiled touching his fingers to his lips. He stopped in his tracks and doubled back. He hoped he could catch up with Maddy. Her father looked like he was preoccupied. It was unlikely that they would run into him again for a while. 

Maddy shook her head as she slowed down. She knew she was near the camp but still unseen. She could hear voices very near herself. She started straightening her pants and button shirt and vest. Her hair was free so she put her fingers through it. Her fingers and arms stopped and lowered as she heard steps behind her. Knowing that the perimeter was mined she turned around sure that it was not a predator. Only it was… It was her boyfriend. 

Mark advanced on her seriously and took her passionately in his arms and backed her up against a wide mossy tree near the path. Its roots grew in such a way that she leaned and reclined in a scandalous way. The other roots surrounded them shielding them from prying eyes. 

He kissed her deeply, feeling her lips yield against his own. His body felt so tense, and burning with need. He expected her to push him away soon. But he longed for more. But he would stope when she wished it. He respected and loved her more than he imagined was possible. He wanted to always do what was right and honorable with her.  
He ground his pelvis into her and cursed inside his head. If only she was not so young. It was something he admired was her youth, but it prevented her from being his truly. If she was but two years older he could possibly take her as his wife, but for now he was honor bound to stop eventually.

Maddy panted in between kisses. The angle of the trunk was suggestive and made her feel daring. She involuntarily opened her legs, allowing him more access to her body. She had not even realized she had done it, but she knew one thing. She liked it and did not want it to stop. 

Mark tensed in delicious longing when he felt her open up more for him. He groaned out and kissed her harder. This was so wrong. They were walking a path that he did not view as honorable. But he could not stop kissing her and touching her body. His hands found themselves on her hips drawing her harder against him her long maroon skirt inching up her thigh scandalously. 

Maddy grew bold. She ran her hands over Marks chest. She knew she was playing with fire but she did not really think it was all that dangerous. She was so naïve about things like this. She wanted to touch his bare chest. Could she not push that far? She wondered as she pulled up at the tucked shirt and it gave way. She pulled it up and revealed to her eyes his bare skin. She nearly swooned. 

Mark groaned again and pulled at her own skirt, he pulled it up higher to touch the soft flesh of her thigh. Maddy laughed in her head. He was right it was only fair. She reached down and pulled her skirt up all the way to her boxer like underwear. 

Mark had stopped kissing her and was looking intently into her eyes. He was trying to read her. He should not proceed. He knew he should step away right now. He felt his control leaving. Control that he needed. He pulled from her slightly but she grabbed his arms and looked unwaveringly back at him. 

“Mark,” she whispered. 

“Maddy, you’re so young.” He said tragically touching her face tenderly, he after all was fighting an inner war with himself. He looked longingly at her exposed chest. Her young pert breasts rose and fell. “I am older, and supposed to be the responsible one.” He touched her chest gently. 

“Mark this is, well wonderful, I don’t want to stop right now.” She whispered. 

Giving his fingers a taste of her soft flesh, and she moaned at his caress. His fingers explored and kissed the hollow of her neck and he felt her sigh and opened to him, welcoming more. That welcome thrilled him and terrified him. He wanted to give into it, but knew it was wrong. At sixteen she had more growing up to do. But this was Terra Nova. Seemed to him children were expected to grow up faster in this dangerous paradise. Just a month before the last pilgrimage Taylor had told the colony to embrace the future by more marriages, That Terra nova needed a new generation of people who could perpetuate the mission. The ways of 2149 were not to apply in this new place, the rule of a family being four was no longer to apply. He smiled thinking of all the babies that the colony would be filled with in a year or mores time. He knew of five women breeding.

“Mark, I-“ she panted as he continued kissing her. 

He stopped and leaned from her. “Yes?” he asked softly. 

“Mark,” she whispered. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me, I need more. I want more!” she cried pulling him to her and he kissed her fighting himself for control again. Dam, was she trying to break his control? She could not really mean it. Kissing her was making him lose his mind.

“Maddy… maddy. Stop ….breath.” He said placing his forehead to hers. “Do you have any idea what your words and actions are doing to me right now?” he laughed nervously and breathed heavily. “I am working overtime to keep things honorable.” He let out a rattled sigh and started to pull completely from her. 

“Yes.” She looked at him squarely. “I am completely aware. Honorable… I am not a child, Mr. Reynolds. I am a woman.” She sighed running her fingers through her hair embarrassed and tears threatened to come to her eyes. She was embarrassed. She had pretty much thrown herself at Mark and now he pulled from her. “I guess I am not enough of a woman to temp you.” She said sadly.

Mark laughed. 

“Don’t laugh!” she cried. 

“I will laugh you silly girl.” He kissed her deeply and allowed himself enough free reign to convince her he was more than tempted. “Can’t you feel how tempted I am, how conflicted I am.” He whispered. “ But it’s wrong what we are doing.” 

“Why?” she asked. 

“What do you mean, why?” He asked shocked at her naivety.

“Why is this wrong? I love you, you love me?” She asked.

“Yes, but your father would kill me for one. And I am sure I can grasp a few other good reasons… You’re sixteen.” He laughed. 

“Yes possibly… if he found out. Which I would never tell.” She said touching his shirt and pulling him back to her. “Besides, we might die in the next few days…now I don’t want to die a virgin when I could have made love to the man who has my heart.”

Marks jaw tensed. “Not a very good reason…Not rational at least.” He said. “You think we will die?” he asked tucking her hair behind her ear. 

“Look at where we are! We are not in Terra Nova anymore, we are In the jungle, no cover…not really, and enemies all around. I like math and all, but the odds are well against us. I give us at best a week,” she swallowed. She could hardly believe she put those terrifying thoughts into words.

“You really believe that? I won’t allow anything to happen to you.” He swallowed but her words did make him fear. 

“You think people just allow bad things to happen to them or their loved ones? Bad things happen anyway. You and me have right now. I only wished to make the most of what we have…Now. But,” she said sitting up. “I see… I’m sorry I threw myself at you. I won’t do it again” she whispered standing up. She turned to leave straightening her dress as she headed away. 

If Maddy was right they could not be fighting. Some of what she said seemed very true to him. He wanted her. Take her and make her his. But he was old fashioned in how he wished to make her his wife; two or three years seemed too far away however. Would he even live that long to finally make her his own. Heck, now she brought into question of them living out the week. He finally understood what she meant He reached for her and brought her against him and kissed her deeply. 

“Maddy, you want this?” he asked softly against her mouth. “All of it, because I am not sure we are ready for it?” he asked tentatively.

“Yes, I think I am.” she whispered breathlessly.

Mark pulled her back into her arms and put her back beneath him. He felt strong and virile in that minuet as he pulled up her dress. There he encountered male boxers.  
“What is this he asked?” as he pulled the baggy draws down her slim legs. He touched her legs tantalizing her as he went. 

“Cotton and they breathe better.” She grinned uncomfortably. 

“I think I am going to want to keep these.” Mark grinned stuffing them in his pocket. He chuckled. “It will bring to mind fond memory.” 

“Well I was kinda gonna need them back eventually.” She laughed.

“Eventually…” he said putting all worry out of his mind for the time. He was holding his Maddy, nothing else really mattered. 

He sat up and looked around. Maddie below him panted wondering if he was going to back out but before she could worry overly he was stripping his shirt off and kissing her again. 

Her hands moved to his pants anxiously. 

That night that had become one, he still remembered what she said when they were finished. “Now I can die.” She had also said it once before, after their first kiss. He could not have imagined a better response from her. 

Their passions were very compatible he mused, and had met numerous times while in the forest together and once in a bunker while he was supposed to be counting supplies. They had shut themselves in and were only lucky that no one came upon them. They had very nearly been caught together.... It had been wonderful. 

Neither worried about the future, or even being caught. They just found joy in each other’s arms and bodies. Reckless was their behavior, he thought fondly. 

But once the portal had been destroyed and they had gone home things quickly resumed where they had left off before. The intimacies they had shared for that week stopped and his innocent courtship of her began again. He had been left aching miserably, but he kept his respectful distance. He could wait forever if he had to.

Eight weeks it had been, he realized. The past four had been miserable. She seemed to be punishing herself. For what he wondered. She was cold with him, but her sadness was overpowering. 

He stood and got up the courage to knock on the door. It had been three days since his last visit. He hoped she was in better spirits. 

Elizabeth her mother answered the door. “Oh hello, Mr. Reynolds.” She smiled genuinely. “I’ll tell Maddy you are here. She was just having a lie down.” She walked to her room and Maddy emerged looking a little disheveled. 

“Hello Miss Shannon, the evening is clear tonight, would you like to star gaze with me?” he asked suddenly nervous.

“Yes.” She said softly, she seemed nervous. She grabbed her light sweater and bid her mom goodnight. She must have been scheduled to work the night shift at the clinic.

They walked quietly, He reached for her hand and she pulled it away. “Maddy, I can’t hold your hand anymore? What is the matter?” he asked frustrated. 

“Not right here.” She whispered. “I will tell you, we do need to talk but not here. Take me to the orchard were we can be alone.”

“You know that’s against the rules.” He said. 

His reason was not sinking in. “So I need to take to you in private. And you have an access card.” She said simply. As if access card was as good as a key to your own house. 

He thought for a moment. But the serious expression on his face convinced him that this was important. Finally he nodded and took her hand firmly in his. Held it tightly even when she tried to pull away. He gently took her hand to his mouth and kissed it. He hoped she was not going to break up with him. He did not think he could handle that. He just needed time to convince her he could make her happy again. 

Within ten minutes he and she were standing alone near the gate of the village in the orchard. “This private enough?” he asked. 

“Yes” she sighed. She seemed bought ready to hurl. He brushed her hair out of her face. “This is all my fault Mark. All my fault.” She cried. “You will hate me.” She cried.

Mark gathered her into his arms. “Shh, Maddy, I could never hate you.” She laughed. “What is all this about?” he asked confused. 

“Mark I have not been punishing you, I have been punishing myself. Its all my fault. All of it. I shoulder all the blame!” she cried nearly hysterical. 

“Shhh, Maddy. Stop now. Tell me what the matter is?” he asked, now genuinely worried. 

“I should not have allowed my hormones to rule me or my fears.” She said softly between sobs. “Though it seems it is pure biology…pure and simple biology is to blame, that’s why at that time I could not control myself very well.” she laughed. “I made a fool of myself.” 

“What are you rattling on about biology for?” he asked very confused. 

She stopped laughing and tears gathered again in her eyes. “I’m sorry for my moods. They are so unpredictable now.” She sobbed. “Biology is to blame for my raging uncontrolled hormones that week in the forest and I guess for my behavior even now.”

Mark shook his head confused. “Well of course. Men and women are supposed to want to make love.” 

“Yes,” she agreed, “but women are more insistent and uncontrolled at certain times, especially Juveniles.” She said wiping her eyes. “More insistent to mate… “ she said looking him in the eye. 

He caught on she was trying to tell him something. “to mate….?” He asked confused. “What are you trying to say Maddy?” realization just on the outer reaches of his mind….Did she mean…?

“Women are more insistent about mating when they are open to breeding, and in mammals case ovulating.” She explained a little more clearly, but judging by the look on his face the message was still lost to him. 

“Breeding, Ovulating….?” He said to himself looking down and then he looked up quickly to her face. The look of shock apparent in his eyes apparent. His hands moved to Maddy’s belly. “You- you, are...” he swallowed hard feeling the proof of her small rounded belly. He had not noticed because of her baggy shirts but when he felt her belly, it was more than apparent. 

“I am pregnant, at least I think I am, I have not had a test but I was too afraid to. Now I am sure.” She swallowed nervously. “I am already getting fat.” Tears gathered more in her eyes.

Mark felt her belly and his heart soared. He felt so much joy upon hearing she carried their child, but his stomach hit the floor in fear. Two very conflicting emotions. Her father was going to kill him. How would the colony look at him, having impregnated a child of the sheriff? Boy, was he in deep. 

“I wanted to know if you would help me take care of it? I just wanted you to know before-” she asked.

“What do you mean?” he asked. 

“I know there have been procedures done here in the past, I was wondering if you knew who performed them?” she asked desperately. 

“Maddy what are you saying?” he asked. 

“I can’t have the baby. I’m too young, and my father will kill you. I love you, If they know they will blame you, and its my fault!” she cried. “I cant have you blamed for my actions. I practically forced you!” her voice shook with emotion.

“Force, I think not. I have been forcing myself not to make love to you for a long time, at least it feels that way.” He said brushing her hair behind her ear. He didn't want to hear any more about ending their baby. 

Tears gathered in his eyes. He knew she was only scared but the news was not entirely bad. “Maddy, the answer is not to end the baby, besides Terra Nova needs a new generation however it happens. Come, let’s go to your mother, you need to see a doctor, get care and make sure you are even having a baby.” Thought he knew she was. 

He pulled the terrified girl in his arms and sighed. It was a good and a very bad thing, but he could only allow the happiness to flood in, for just a moment. 

“It will be alright Maddy.” He whispered and held her in his arms as she cried. He led her back to the village and into the clinic. 

“Maddy, Mr. Reynolds. What are you doing here?” Elizabeth asked cheerfully. It seemed to be a quiet night in the clinic. 

“Mom, I-“she stopped scared to say another word. 

“Mrs. Shannon, can we talk in your office?” he asked nervously, but determined. 

“Alright, just follow me back here. She led them into her cramped but private office and moved a stack of medical supplies off a chair and motioned for Maddy to sit. She moved to her own seat. A feeling of unease washed over here. She got the feeling she was in for bad news. 

“So what is it?” she smiled calmly.

“Uh-“ Maddy tried.

“Mrs. Shannon, if I may?” he asked. 

“Go ahead, Mr. Reynolds.” She encouraged. 

“Maddy, Miss Shannon I mean.” he corrected, “has reason to believe she might be or she well is… pregnant.” He finally spit out. 

Elizabeth’s eyes glazed over and she stood up uncertainly. She pushed past him and stepped out the door. She went to a drawer and pulled out a device and started to set it up. 

“Come out here Maddy and lie on the bed. This here is a device that will show not only if you are pregnant but also will show a three dimensional image of your child. We will be able to tell clearly whether or not the child is healthy or sometimes we can tell as early as ten weeks the sex.”

Maddy swallowed in fear and clenched her hands into fists. Mark saw the action and took her right hand in his willing her to relax as her mother set up the device and put the probes on twelve strategic location’s. Within about 10 seconds of the machine being hooked up the image in blue light popped up above her bare belly.  
“Hello little ones.” Her mother smiled breathlessly. 

“Little ones?” he asked shock and awe coursed through him. 

“Yes, Mr. Reynolds Twins. Rare in 2149, because women when they reach 18 are given medications to prevent the release of multiple eggs per cycle and pregnant women are given proteins to prevent the cell from dividing. All a part of population control… She is too young to be on those meds that prevent fraternal twins and she was found pregnant too late to be give the meds to prevent identical twins.”

Maddy sat there her mouth hanging open watching the screen, every so often the tiny forms would wiggle. “There are very weird looking.” She said watching.

“Well they would, there are still a few weeks from looking more like babies.” She smiled warmly. She was not happy to hear about her oldest daughter being sixteen nearly seventeen next month and being pregnant but they were babies none the less. “You are about eight weeks and five days pregnant.” She said measuring the size and developed features. “Sound about right?” She noticed Mr. Reynolds clench his jaw and he nodded. Maddy looking wide eyed also nodded. 

“So now kids what were you thinking?” she asked finally giving into her mom inspired questions. Good lord what will your father say or do?” she asked shaking her head. “You do know there is protection..?. the shots and condoms.” She asked. 

Mark swallowed in fear; this was a very personal topic and one he knew he should get used to discussing because after tonight soon the whole colony would know to both his pride and shame.

“Mom if your measurements are right and calculations are right I got pregnant from the first time…ever.” She answered shyly, and it was in the forest when we had fled Terra Nova, “I can imagine there was a shortage of Prophylactics among our group. Sure if we had been here at terra nova we would have probably been more careful, but if we were here I also don’t think we would have done it. We would have waited. But it just happened, then again and again till we came back here, then it- we I mean we stopped.” She shuddered. 

Elizabeth sighed. She understood how they all had felt…their future had been in question and the two lovers had given into each other. She just hoped Jim would somehow understand and forgive this young boy. Jim should be told soon but how, she began to ponder how best to tell her husband without putting Mark in danger.

“well I have been back here for a while. I better go check in with the front.” She said wishing an excuse to leave the two to discuss things. She was a mom but she knew this was not really her place to decide things. She recalled being in a similar position once. It was a different time. A different world. 

 

“Mark, twins?” Maddy said stricken with panic and breathing heavily. 

“Shh, clam yourself.” He said putting his hands assuring in their hold on her shoulders “You are pregnant, please keep yourself calm.” He kissed her head as she pulled the probes from her belly. The wheels turned in his head. He was not looking forward to speaking to her father, but best go and get this out soon. 

“Mark, how-?” she was about to ask something but mark silenced her with a kiss. 

“Maddy, I love you but I need to go. I will be back to see you later…If I survive.” He kissed her again and placed his hand on her belly rubbing it. “This is not a good thing in many people’s minds, but I refuse to see this as all bad.”

“Where are you going?” she asked suddenly fearful. 

“I am going to speak to Commander Taylor and if I can manage it your father too.” He smiled and kissed her head and walked out the door as she pleaded for him to come back, “Come back she cried, but he did not turn. As he walked out the door he nodded to Maddy’s mother and walked out to the main gate office.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been having trouble tagging this to its fandom. Weird hang up. I can visit the spiced Mark Reynolds/Maddy Shannon page, but for some reason it won't link me to that. Oh well. I hope someone gets to read this. :)

Chapter 2

“Insistent to see me tonight….and Sheriff Shannon, for what reason boy?” he asked. 

“Sir, I would like to be an honorable man and confess it to him as well as you, at the same time my crime.” He said straightening his spine. 

“Ah, confession?” Commander Taylor eyes him archly. 

“Yes.” He stated.

“I have the feeling soldier that this is a very serious matter you need to discuss.” He asked seriously. 

“I would not bother you with it if it was not a serious matter Sir.” He said his eyes betraying his nervousness. 

Commander Taylor eyed his soldier for a time. Mark Reynolds had always been a good honorable soldier. He could not imagine what he would feel the need to confess, but none the less, “Fine, I’ll send for him. He is close by checking on something for me.” 

Mr. Shannon entered the office not more than five minutes later looking serious. “What is it Taylor, I was just about to go home for the night and get some sleep.” He said impatiently. 

“Slow down Sheriff, I am not the reason you are here, this young buck is.” He gestured to Mark. 

“What is it boy?” Jim said impatiently.

 

\----  
Elizabeth went to the back of the clinic to check on Maddy who had not followed mark out of the clinic. She found Maddy collapsed sobbing in a chair. 

“Sweetie.” She said taking her daughter into her arms. “What is the matter? Did you and Mark have a fight?” she asked concerned. 

“No mom, he’s gone to tell Commander Taylor and I know dad will find out.” She cried. 

“Maddy its best the truth comes out but I agree, perhaps not like this. I will go try to catch him. You head home get some sleep. But first eat, you have two little ones here.” She smiled comfortingly. She would have run out immediately after Maddy had left if not for the sudden wild life attack wound. She had to manage that for the next ten minutes, but darted out and ran to Commander Taylor’s office. She had to hurry. 

 

\-----  
“Mr. Shannon, Sir-,”he stopped and straightened his spine and cleared his throat. 

“Oh god kid if this is you asking permission to marry Maddy, again… it’s a “hell no”. she is too young. And shame on you for bringing Taylor in to back you up. You have a hell of a lot of balls...” 

“Mr. Shannon, I am afraid it’s much worse in your eyes. Maddy is, she is pregnant.” He said quickly while he had the courage. He felt the blood drain from his face as he watched his girlfriend’s father reaction.

Jim’s eyes widened, ringing broke out in his ears. Had he been deafened by the kids words? His little girl Pregnant, by this over muscled, pretty eyed, GI Joe?

“You-“he said growling and preparing to launch himself at the kid. He wanted to rip his head off.

“JIM!” Elizabeth’s voice broke out over the tension.

“Elizabeth,” he said startled. “Our Daughter." he stammered. 

“I know.” She said walking up to him and hugging him. “Mark brought her in, and I diagnosed her.” 

“I am going to kill him.” He eyed the kid. Mark could not meet his eyes he was so ashamed. He could see that. 

“Jim... Please listen.” She assured him taking his hand. 

“How did this happen?” he asked. “Wait I don’t want to know.” He said rubbing his eyes. 

Commander Taylor poured himself another glass of whisky. “So Soldier, was this your big confession? Do you have anything else to say on the matter?” he asked. “Shannon, how old is your daughter?” he asked. 

“She is seventeen next month.” Elizabeth answered. “Not really a child anymore.” She smiled looking at Jim. 

“Not exactly a grown up either.” Jim scoffed. “Not like him who should know better.” He pointed accusing. 

“Sir, Mr Shannon. I have only ever had honorable intentions regarding Maddy. I never meant to have things go so far. But ever since I met her… I wake up with thought of her, and how she is starting her day. I only have eyes for her.” He assured. 

“Jim. This is what happens between two people in love.” She said softly trying to calm her enraged husband. 

“Children happen between two people who are married.” He eyed the kid coldly. 

Mark stiffened his back.

Taylor took a long drink. “Well considering the youngest marriage in Terra Nova was that of a seventeen and a half year old and a 22 year old. This is a similar situation, it was not entirely unprecedented. Though it did start a bit of a scandal, she was pregnant too. He was a soldier as well. Seems he died before the child’s first birthday. I feel proud he was able to pass on a part of himself before it was too late. Do not forget the place means a hope for the future and the future means families and children.” Taylor sighed. He could see Jim Shannon was not about to listen to him easily. 

“I know Jim: you come from a different world where children are a bigger choice and responsibility not only to the individual but to the entire population… well it’s the same here, only we need population to survive and sustain in this hostile land. You should know better than most, those restraints society places on people. You have a third child and that is against the law in 2149, they are young, but here in Terra Nova, children are a necessity for the future. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think children should marry, but she is very nearly a woman by legal standard. Thirteen months and she will be eighteen. I give my blessing to Mark as to his choice in partner and to the fact that he is helping to supply the next generation with children that are not only brilliant minded but also a step towards our future here.” He directed his speech now to Mark. “I do not condone the path you walked, I would have preferred to see you wait respectfully but I know what it’s like to be in love.” he nodded saluting the young man. “Now I have been informed, I have said my peace; I will allow you to use this office for a time. But then I want you all to go home and sleep on it.” he turned before leaving, “I hear Maddy makes wonderful pancakes, perhaps you could have young Mark over for breakfast in the morning. You are all given the next 16 hours off to come to an understanding.” He then left them to it. 

“Marriage?” Jim swallowed. “ I would rather die.”

“Jim, you are wrong to feel this. Mark is a good man. He loves her.” Elizabeth said softly. 

“That’s why I feel this way.” He said grinding his teeth. “I want to kill him but I have this feeling that I can’t.” He sighed. 

“I do wish to marry Maddy. That has always been my intention.” He swallowed. “It’s just under different circumstances now.” 

“Jim, the portal has been destroyed; there is only about a thousand people here to start a future on. Not many Jim. Numbers are our best bet for the future and this is all a part of it. It’s happening whether you like it or not, and it’s a wonderful thing for the colony. like that or not.” She said standing up to him. “Your daughter is not a child any longer. She has two little ones depending on her and Mark now…Lets try not to be too hard on them.” She soothed. 

“Two?” he asked. 

“twins. She is a little over two months along.” She smiled. 

“Good lord I could kill you right now.” He sighed speaking to Mark and strode out the door fuming. 

Mark was left alone after Elizabeth gently touched his hand “See you tomorrow morning for breakfast. Come at 0-800 and Jim and Josh and Zoe and I will run to the market for fresh fruit, you and Maddy can speak.”

Numbly he went to his house that he shared with three others, being without a family and a soldier he had no room or house to himself. His roommates, soldiers eyed him strangely. They knew something was up with him. 

“Reynolds!” Trevor asked. “Been to see your girl today?” he asked. 

“Yeah.” He answered. 

“She doing better? Know what’s got her goat?” He asked. 

“Yeah, know now what’s the matter. Seems it’s a big matter.” He sighed. He did not wish to go through the shock again so he changed the subject. “I just have a lot on my mind right now. Where you headed now?” He asked.

“You know where, for drinks. Coming?” he asked. 

“Yeah? I’ll come. Be there in a few. He went to his metal trunk and unlocked it opening it up and dug into a thick book he had from his child hood. A book of children fairytales. Books had long been left behind technologically but many kept certain books like bibles and history books, But there were few story books left. The stories were now on Plexi tablets. This worn book had a thick cover. He peeled back the sticky paper back on the inside of the book revealing a carved out portion which housed an artful heirloom from his mother. When he had been enlisted for terra Nova, his mother had given him her wedding band and engagement ring, which had belonged to his father’s mother and on before that. She said it was his turn now to use the ring, when he found a girl for him one day.

This is the ring he would put on Maddy’s finger. Memory of his mother made him smile. She would be overjoyed to learn she was to be a grandmother. 

He placed it in his pocket and went out for the night. Probably his last totally free night for a long time. He just would be sure not to drink much.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning dawned bright…they were always bright in Terra Nova. Maddy slipped out of bed at about seven am. Her legs ran as she dove for the toilet and gripped the seat tightly as the was reduced to a coughing fit. A thick sweat broke out on her forehead and back. After emptying the contents of her stomach she still felt nauseated but was feeling a little better. Not wanting to smell like vomit she jumped in the shower with her toothbrush in hand. 

In the shower she looked down at her belly warily. She didn't know what the future held. Terra Nova was hope for a future, but it was a dangerous future. She hadn't even put any thought to children. Not really. 

Once feeling a bit cleaner and more human she dressed and brushed her damp hair. She was about to face her father and judging from the harsh whispers coming from their side of the house for a long while before falling asleep, her father knew. But he had been home so that was a good sign that he wasn't murderous. 

Might as well go face the music, she told herself looking in the mirror. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach again and dove for the toilet. Ten minutes later she emerged from the bathroom having brushed her teeth a second time gagging as she did so. She startled when Josh knocked impatiently, She grabbed for her robe to go over her body to shield her belly bump from view.

“Come on sis hurry up, I have been waiting like nearly fifteen minutes for a shower, but now I have to piss.” he said muffled through the other side of the door.   
“Coming,” she said wiping her face trying to feel normal. Opening the door he looked at her confused. “It isn't the ice age Maddy.” 

She rolled her eyes, and he shoved past her muttering thanks and she pulled her light robe closer around her. Her tight pajama long shirt looked more like a form fitting thigh length dress with boxer shorts. A bit scandalous looking without her long robe fully tied closed in front. She cinched it tight. 

Going to the kitchen she found her mother and father eyeing her. “Maddy, I have a muffin here, it should help the nausea. We are headed out with Josh and Zoe this morning. We will be back later, perhaps and hour or-“she said being interrupted by Jim. 

“Hour and a half I think.” He said clenching his teeth. He was undoubtedly angry. 

“I would like you to make up some eggs and Pancakes.” She asked Maddy. 

“Oh that’s fine. You all are going to market? Without me?” she asked confused that the her entire family was going without her. Usually it was just her or Josh who ran to market for needed food. 

“uh yeah,” Elizabeth sighed uncomfortably. “You know, we just need you to make the breakfast for us this morning. None of us have duty till later. So we can eat a big brunch together. I will buy some roasted meat if you like? Does that sound good to you?” she asked sipping the coffee and dumping the rest in the sink. She took the other cup from her husband’s hand and poured his down the sink. 

“Hey I was drinking that.” He protested. 

"No Jim, go get dressed. We are leaving soon. Its nearly Eight.” She eyed the clock and hurried Zoe out the door, and Josh was not far behind having rushed his shower on account of no hot water and they all scampered out the door saying as little to her as possible. Only Josh seemed puzzled on how mom rushed them all away. 

She knew. They all wanted to keep their distance from her. She huffed onto the sofa. “What a mess.” She sighed. 

 

Left alone on the sofa Maddy listened to the silence of the house. It felt like it was closing in on her. She felt like a dark cloud was looming over head but there was no rain yet. 

Within minutes of her parent’s departure she heard a knock on the door. She shuffled to the door and opened it. It was a bit early for callers. “Mark,” she said surprised. He had said he would see her later. “Your timing was right. No one is here.” She said welcoming him in. It’s safe at lease for an hour. 

“I was told by your mother to come by at eight.” He said stepping closer to her. Closed the door with his foot and pulled her to him. Enjoying the feeling of her in his arms again he breathed in deeply her scent. She had recently showered and smelled very good. It was having a very primal effect on him and he pulled back so as not to go the wrong direction. They needed to talk. 

“I am afraid I have been roped in to making eggs and pancakes.” She laughed.

“You and I have to talk. We have done little of that since finding out about them. Come we will do it over making breakfast. Can I help you?” he asked leading her into the kitchen. “I hear you make good pancakes.” 

“You have?” she asked. “Well they are alright. I just have read up on seasonings and we have a lot of seasonings now open to us here in Terra Nova, I just take the time to learn how to use them.” She answered. 

“What do you use for milk? Cows have been extinct for nearly a century, and here they uh have not evolved yet.” He asked. 

“Arecaceae, you know the ancestor of the palm tree?” she rolled her eye. Here she was again a know it all. “I use the coconut milk. Its thought to have evolved on about 6 million years ago. So relatively recent I would say in the fossil record. I don’t know, its not lactose based so I imagine it does not really taste like original pancakes, but its better than the food I grew up with. Food shortages and such.” She rambled on and he hushed her with a kiss and held her closely to him. 

“You will never have a food shortage again.” He whispered.

“I know, I will have other worries. Like whether one of my twins have ventured beyond the gate. Or one carried off by a Petrosaur, Or if they will grow up to be soldiers like you their father and worry me to death for the rest of my life.” She cried getting emotional as she cracked and egg. Dinosaur eggs were delicious but dangerous to steal. 

Chickens had never become extinct on account of the living conditions chickens could live in. A bunch was sent to Terra Nova and they had their own chickens breeding and makings eggs. So eggs were plentiful for them. 

“You feel that way Maddy?” he asked sadly. “you would worry about any child. You worry about Zoe constantly and help her anyway you can.” He stated. 

“I know, but I just did not see myself having a child. I saw myself with a career and then maybe marrying you and eventually having a child…but this all happened so fast. I just did not think I would have a baby…let alone two. 

“I saw us married to first, but this is not so bad Maddy. Were alive and we will have children with a healthy possible future in Terra Nova, I think in a way we should be joyful parents. Clean air and bight sunshine to play in…a real childhood, can you imagine it? We can give that to them.” He said placing bold hands on either side of her small belly. “They will have a wonderful life, and ours will be too. We can’t let them make this a bad thing. I know my actions were unpardonable-“he was cut off. 

“No Mark my actions were the unpardonable ones. I pushed you and you tried…” her voice trailed off as one hand moved around to her back taking her into the crook of his arm. 

“Yes, but I could have fought harder to keep to my morals…But somehow in a little way I am happy I did let my morals go. Its like a miracle….or something to happen the first time. Its like fate. “he blinked.

“You’re really happy about this?” she asked. 

“Well yeah. In a way. It makes me feel, I don’t know how to explain, I feel large, big, accomplished.” He sighed. “But the rational part of my brain says that it was badly done and not my usual actions. I may wish to have you as I would a wife, but that does not make it right. But we did not even use protection. It was disrespect to you, and your family, the colony. This is not the way things are to be done here.” He said tilting her chin up so her eyes would meet his. “But I think I would still take the same actions, if it meant I could make you my wife sooner.” He said kneeling down her hands in his as his other reached into his pocket. 

Maddy shook hardly believing that this beautiful man was kneeling down in front of her with ratty shower head and her bathrobe… Barefoot and pregnant.

“This ring was my Great, great, great, grandmother’s ring. I am told her husband had wed her before going to war in world war two. I was given it by my mother who would be proud of me in giving you this ring.” He said holding it out to her. “Madelyn Shannon, please accept this ring as my offer to be faithful, provide for and love you for all the days I have with you. Will you accept this ring and be my wife, make us a real family?” he finished as tears gathered in his own eyes. 

Maddy dropped to her knees and kissed him. He took her hand as he kissed her and place it on her finger. “Can we really get married?” she asked breathlessly. 

“Yes. Well eventually.” He swallowed. He hoped they would be allowed to wed soon. He wished to be with her every waking moment that he was not on assignment and the only way he could do that was to have her as wife. 

“You have to ask daddy, he needs that courtesy.” She sighed her mood darkening. “Though I doubt he will give us his blessing.” 

“Do you need his blessing?” he asked. 

“Yes, well I want it.” She answered. 

“What if he won’t give it?” he asked. “Will you just give in?” he had to ask, he had to know. 

“Where would we go? You have no house, you live with two other room mates! And daddy would have to accept you moving in with him, and I am sure he would not allow that to happen.” She said trying to think rationally. “If he does not accept we will just have to wait till he does accept it. Where would we live?” she asked. 

Suddenly he was saddened, Jim would not accept him in his house, of that he knew, and he would not like it…He wanted to provide a roof for her, for his family but Mr. Shannon would not just take him into his home. 

“I don’t know, but I want you to promise to be my wife. Your verbal promise would make you my wife in my heart already.” He asked. 

“Course, Mark. I love you and want first and for most to be your wife… but I don’t wish to anger my father more than I have already. I have made many mistakes…But loving you is not one of them. I want to be your wife, but I need his blessing for you to share this house.” she answered. 

“What if we wedded in word and deed, but I stayed with my room mated for a while? And visited like I do now. Till the children are born?” he asked. 

“I am not so sure mark… I want to marry you but I think this may be a very long engagement.” She said softly. 

“I will speak to Taylor sometime and ask him if there is any housing available, maybe he would put us on a list?” he said seriously. 

“Maybe, but I would not count on it..” she said negatively.

He nodded sadly, “then I will try. In the mean time you wear this…It is yours. If something happens to me give it to the eldest boy, if we have one.” 

“What do you mean if anything happens to you?” she asked. 

He cocked his head… “I am up for OTG this next month. I may be sent on a long mission out. OTG’S are dangerous, and we routinely lose men, and women. But since we were cut off from 2149 Taylor has been stalling the OTG.” He looked at her fearful face. “Please try not to worry though, I am a good soldier and I have done my fair share of these missions already, but I also know how dangerous they can be.”

He waited watching her expression. “Maddy, I will be gone possibly about six months or more…” he explained. 

“Or more? You could miss the birth?” she asked clearly upset.

“Yes, but I would count on it being more like four or six months. But I have not been selected yet. Its just my turn for my name to turn up in the call list.” He explained.hE  
“Oh god,” she clutched her belly, “Oh” her knees felt weak. She sank toward the floor with Mark reaching down for her catching her before she hit. He scooped her up and carried her to the settee. 

“Maddy, what’s the matter?” he asked. 

“Oh I think you just made me feel faint. I felt a pain in my midsection just moments before.” She explained. “But I think I feel alright now. Just a little nauseated. Please go on, I am seated. No fear of me falling and hurting myself” She assured. She truly did feel a little better now that the fear and initial shock was over. 

“Maddy,” he said worried. 

“No I understand… you have already been gone for days and weeks at a time.” She said looking down. “It’s something I must get used to. Saying good bye to the man I love?” she asked.

“Yes. As I must get used to leaving you behind…” He answered softly and took her into his arms. He wished to take her clothes off and make love to her. What would it hurt now really? He thought briefly, but risking being walked in on was just not acceptable to him. 

She kissed him back passionate and melted against him. She leaned way back on the settee and opened herself more fully to him. 

“Maddy, we cant. Not like this. I want to, but not now and not here.” He said pulling her to the upright position pulling her robe back closed. “Now I think we have breakfast to finish making.”

“Your right.” She said standing. “I don’t know what I keep thinking. I got us into trouble, you don’t need me dragging us deeper.” She sighed. He wrapped one arm around her. 

“When you are truly mine Maddy you will have no doubt how much I wish to be the bad influence. It’s just I don’t want to blow my shot with you.” He sighed pushing her hair back. 

“You can’t… you already have me.” She kissed him. “Now come, enough distractions we need to cook.” 

They were all smiles the rest of the time till the family arrived. Maddy and him had laid out the food on the table in preparation with just enough time. 

Liz Zoe and Josh came in and hauled in the market groceries. 

“Mark, Jim is out front waiting for you. I hope you pluck up your courage to go speak with him.” She eyed the front door and Maddy clung to his arm holding him back worried. 

“Maddy, I must speak to him sooner or later.” He kissed her temple and hurried out the door. He did not want Mr. Shannon to think him a coward. 

Jim stood on the front stoop and ignored Mark’s approach. 

“Sir” he said softly. 

Jim did not turn or answer. 

“Sir.” He tried again.

“What do you want?” he asked solemnly. “You have already taken my little girl from me.” 

“Maddy is still your little girl, she is also my girl too, and the mother of my children.” He sighed. “She means the world to me. Everything.” He said grinning like a fool using his feelings for Maddy as his courage to continue speaking to her father. “I can’t wait to wake up and see her when I take my rout to my post in the morning. I only have a few minutes to talk with her but they are the best minuets in my day till after work.” He paused for a moment wondering if Mr. Shannon was ever going to turn and face him. Swallowing hard he was unsure if he should continue. He looked around nervously suddenly glad that Mr. Shannon was not looking at him. He would see the fear in his eyes. 

“Sir, I never meant this to happen. I know she is too young and that we should have waited. But our own mortality and circumstance pushed us into making a foolish choice. Had I died, I would not have regretted my actions. As it seems I have lived to regret them. But not exactly, I cant regret my children, I only regret Maddy’s age and the fact we are not married.” He searched for the right words to continue. “I wish to remedy a regret I have by making her my wife. I know she is young but our children will have their fathers name should anything happen to me while on OTG. Do I have your permission?” he was hopeful he knew. 

“Marriage? She is still sixteen.” He said. “Nah I think not. You young punk… I know the drill here, if without a home you bunk with the wife’s parents. I will not have you in this house. You can leave now. Give Maddy space you have put her in a delicate condition.” He said harshly. “Wouldn’t want you around upsetting her.” 

Mark’s eyes narrowed as he looked down and away from Mr. Shannon. He felt the anger rise within him but he did not want to upset Maddy over a fight with her father. 

Looking up and meeting his eyes once he nodded accepting his say. He had no choice. His Maddy could not yet be his wife, he knew she would not agree to going against her father. He turned on his heel and looked into the house and to the scared girl waiting just inside the door. He smiled reassuringly and mouthed “good bye,” and he turned to leave. 

Jim stalked into the house and found Maddy shedding tears silently in the hall. “You say you are not a child! Well then stop crying!” she shouted. “How could you do this to me…”

“Jim! I thought we talked about this! You were going to hear the man out. He loves your daughter.” Her mother yelled. “We haven't even sat down to breakfast!” she said looking at the lovely table going to waste. Zoe and Josh looked at them confused. 

“Liz, this is too much for me to accept. Am I just to welcome that low life into my home just because my grandchildren will be half his?” he shouted. 

“Yes!” she shouted. 

Josh looked at them suddenly realizing that his sister was pregnant. “What?” 

Jim payed no mind to his sons sudden question. “No, I will not. I feel like I have half a mind to put her out in the street…But that I know would be wrong.” He cooled a little.

“Jim, don’t you dare threaten that. Maddy does not need the stress. And for gods sakes remember she is pregnant and act kindly to her… not scream at her calling her a child.” She yelled. “Jim you are not acting like the man I love, the man I married.” She croaked as tears gathered in her own eyes. “Your worse than my own father. He at least accepted you a little when I became pregnant.” She sobbed. 

Maddy ran from the room and sat on her bed. She needed calm and she wanted privacy. The ring sparkled on her hand and her lips turned up in an involuntary smile through her tears. She had a man who loved her, that counted for something. 

She picked up her plexi and surfed through the pages getting lost studying, drowning her parents out with the thoughts of her mind. 

“Jim you are angry at them for doing the same thing we did. Don’t you remember we were not married? Do you recall our emotions and hormones?” Elizabeth asked. “Or are you the only one allowed to make mistakes?” 

“Liz you were twenty two, she is sixteen.” He protested. 

“Yes I get their age is not ideal, but complaining and forbidding all you want is never going to change the fact that your little girl is no longer a little girl. She is a grown woman with two babies on the way. She will have enough on her plate without us piling it on her too and preventing her being with the father of her children and love of her young life.” She soothed.

She put her hand on him trying to get him to empathize with their situation. 

“Jim honey you got to allow them to be together. OTC is brutal from what I hear and he may not come back if he is called to go. Image how heart broken and angry she would be at you if she lost Mark?” she asked. “Would you wish to carry her anger and hatred for the rest of your life. You would lose your daughter.” She tried to frighten him. But he would not budge. His daughter Maddy would stay unmarried.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
Jim left the house in a huff. Hungry and is a very bad mood was not a good combination. He hightailed his way to Taylor. 

“Ah, Sheriff.” Commander Taylor acknowledged. 

“Taylor, put me on duty, I feel like I could really kill the kid. I need to work out this rage?” he told the man. 

“Ah, I have just the thing for you Shannon…” he said standing from his desk and walking to a window. “See that?” he pointed.

“The fence?” Jim asked Commander Taylor. 

“Jungle is coming back. The vines need to be cut from the fence again, And if my memory is correct you were the last to take care of that patch second day you arrived.” 

Taylor smiled trying to point out the irony. “Why don’t you work out your rage there.”

“Okay I will go do it now.” Jim replied heading for the door. 

“Wait Shannon… How did breakfast go for the kid?” Taylor asked. 

“Not well. My wife is mad at me, and Maddy just cried…” he said with agony. 

“What did Reynolds do?” Taylor asked more directly. 

“He came and asked me to allow him to marry my little girl. Ofcouse I can’t! I cant allow that disrespecting pretty boy to share my house and have rights to my daughter, I can’t allow it. Cant just watch them be a happy couple in my home. Besides she is too young.” He said very angry. 

“So he did mean it when he said he wants to marry her.” Taylor nodded and smiled. 

“Course he means it he’s wanted her for months. He told me as much that he hoped one day to make her his wife. He said he would wait. He’s what twenty two, twenty three? He betrayed her and me.” Jim said.

“He said that when?” Taylor asked. 

“Oh I don’t know three or four months ago, round when you left me in charge of the colony.” Jim answered absently.

“So the kid declared his intentions to you, before anything happened?” Taylor looked out into the jungle. “Well I guess there is hope for this new generation.” He laughed.   
“Look Shannon, Reynolds is a good soldier and a good kid. I know you wish to be rough on him but you have to understand that to a point the kid did everything right, and made real effort to be respectful and was quite clear about his intentions toward your daughter. Sure the kids got a little hot and heavy and now they are paying for it. I have not forgotten my own foolish youth.” He laughed. “The kid came and told you as soon as may be. I could tell he was still absorbing the knowledge himself. He did not beat around the bush or hide it from you. He wants to do right by not only himself but he’s trying to do the right thing for everyone. Those are some honorable actions. I wish you could see that.” Taylor tried to advise the hot tempered man. 

“Taylor, I actually trusted this kid, I really did not think this would happen.” He admitted. 

“He is still the same kid. Just more in love with your daughter that you really want him to be.” Taylor chuckled. “At some point if you are alone with the woman you love long enough… things happen.” Taylor smiled. “Good things. Memories you keep close when times are tough. And the nights here get very dark. Don’t make a wonderful moment for them into an awful thing just because she is just one year too young in your mind. Good kids the both of them. I’m not going to lie, this is not how I would have wished them to come together, but I wanted them together. So I am more of the cup is half full kind of guy. I am still getting what I want.” Commander Taylor smiled not allowing Jim to speak. He wanted his words to sink in. “Now go get to the vines and think on it all.” 

Jim left the office still in a huff. He only wanted to feel anger. He grabbed a machete and hacked away hoping it would take care of all his troubles. He ignored his stomach rumblings and fueled his swings with his anger. 

Commander Taylor watched as Jim Shannon hack away at the vines and he sighed. Jim was a passionate man about his beliefs and swiftly retaliated when he felt threatened or slighted. Taylor hoped the man controlled himself before he cause serious damage to the young couples’s future. He sighed…He would have to somehow intervene for the kid. Someone had to help Reynolds. No family here alone, he had no support to stand on his own. Jim was right, he would have to rely on Jim and his family to care for his children and wife if he married her as he was now. Perhaps he could do something about that. 

He sent for Reynolds and sat down at his desk and waited. 

Reynolds came in about fifteen minutes later and saluted him. 

“Come all the way in boy.” He motioned. “At ease.” He permitted. 

“You asked me to come Sir?” Mark asked. 

“Yes, I hear you asked Mr. Shannon for Miss Shannon’s hand in marriage?” Taylor verified.

“Yes, and i asked her. She did not really answer, but I know it’s only because her father and our questionable future if we married. I have no home. I cannot even provide a room; it’s against protocol unless we have our own dwelling. I know that Sir. But I want Maddy, I need her. I don’t know what to do, she is having our babies, and I have nothing to give her but my love. I have nothing.” He spat angry. Mostly at himself, but he knew Jim was right and even Maddy, he had nothing to give. 

“You have much to give son. Loyalty, devotion, love, respect. All quality personality traits I value. In fact it is precisely those traits in you that I wish to push you to the front of the list for your own housing.” He stepped around his desk and could see the soldier looked about ready to burst with he news. 

“Five pilgrims walked through the portal and only three survived and the Phoenix group went to the badlands. The houses that were erected for them all stand half built or empty. Many were destroyed, but they are being rebuilt. It will take many weeks perhaps months before many are even livable, but I have just decided to push you and your new family to the front.” Taylor smiled as his soldier could hardly speak.

“Sir. This is wonderful news Sir.” Mark marveled. “Thank you. I take this as you give your blessing?” he asked hopeful. He wanted someone to support him in all of this and it seemed the leader of Terra Nova was. 

“Course son, now about OTG: Your name is up. I think it best you go on that mission. It will be nearly six months but the distance and the time away may help Jim Shannon come to terms that his daughter is growing up and the house will be ready by six months I expect.” He said, he motioned him to a map on his desk. “Shannon needs to cool his head. Man is no good to me without a level head.” 

Mark looked down at the map and surveyed the area he was supposed to pursue signs of Mira or Lucas, as well as gauge the herd movements through the south side of the mountain range. 

“Carno migration is expected in those parts. Expect extreme aggression. Sleep in trees. You leave day after tomorrow 0700. Dismissed.” Taylor briefed.

 

Mark left the office feeling lighter. He had something to give Maddy now. A home in a matter of months or weeks. But he had been asked to leave for OTG. Six months away from Maddy, he panicked he tried to do the math. Would he be back in time to be with her when the babies came? He calmed knowing he would have nearly a month left if she made it to full term. He sighed and went to his house that he shared with his mates; he had a good few hours before he was expected for his shift of the outer perimeter. And he was hungry. He would go look for Maddy after his shift tonight away from her house and out of sight of her father. 

Once inside the house he shared with three others he found he was alone. They all must have been at their own post. He went to the fridge to see it was empty. His stomach grumbled. It seemed hours ago he was making breakfast with Maddy. A breakfast he was unable to have the honor to eat. A knock sounded at the door. He opened it to find Maddy Swollen eyed, obviously she had been crying. 

“Maddy.” He said surprised. 

“Mom and I thought you could still use some breakfast though now it’s nearly Lunch, and My father did not stick around to eat either… So there were leftovers” she said hers eyes down. “I know he sent you away. I heard him.” She said nervously. “Mark, I don’t want you to ever leave me alone, please don’t let him run you off.” She said a tear trailing down her cheek. 

“Oh Maddy, I am not going anywhere…Figuratively.” He said remembering OTG pulling her tightly to him and breathed in the clean scent of her hair.

“Figuratively?” she asked.

“I leave day after tomorrow… I have been asked for OTG. It’s for six months.” He said kissing the side of her face. He noted people noticing them on his door way. He nervously pulled her inside the house his cheeks red. “Come inside, we need to talk.”

“Oh I have never been inside.” Maddy noted distractedly. It was tidy, not very lived in feeling.

“That is because you are not exactly supposed to be here…” he said as she took off her sack pulling the long strap over her head. Once the put it down Mark took her again in his arms. He was feeling triumphant and bold. 

He pulled her vest off and he felt her pant and rub against him a moment as they both mutually enjoyed touching and holding each other. 

“Mark, you are leaving?” She said pulling away. 

“I have been asked by the commander and since he granted me the favor I needed most, I cannot protest.” 

“What favor did he grant?” she asked as he held her to him. She had the odd feeling that he had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. 

“His blessing, and a home of our own.” He whispered against her temple. 

“You have to refuse it!” she cried out and tried to push away. 

“What do you mean? I thought this was a wonderful thing?” he asked.

“It is, but it’s also a nightmare! You have to refuse OTG!” She sobbed. 

“Maddy no,” He took her back in his arms. “Even if I was not given this favor I would probably still need to go. This is my job, my responsibility to keep the colony safe, to keep you safe.” He said softly. “I cannot refuse to do my job.” 

Tears streamed from Maddy’s eyes and she melted into Marks arms. She kissed him hard and pulled desperately at his shirt longing to never let him go. In her heart break she wanted him. her fingers dropped to his belt. It was enough to get her point across. 

He pulled at her vest and off it went followed by Maddy’s shirt, and he pulled her back into his room. She was already pregnant and they were not under her father’s roof, he felt there was no shame in loving her “physically” before leaving her. He wanted her to have no doubt of his love and desire of her and besides he wanted sweeter memories of her to draw upon when out there in the wild.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5   
Mark left the office feeling lighter. He had something to give Maddy now. A home in a matter of months or weeks. But he had been asked to leave for OTG. Six months away from Maddy, he panicked he tried to do the math. Would he be back in time to be with her when the babies came? He calmed knowing he would have nearly a month left if she made it to full term. He sighed and went to his house that he shared with his mates; he had a good few hours before he was expected for his shift of the outer perimeter. And he was hungry. He would go look for Maddy after his shift tonight away from her house and out of sight of her father. 

Once inside the house he shared with three others he found he was alone. They all must have been at their own post. He went to the fridge to see it was empty. His stomach grumbled. It seemed hours ago he was making breakfast with Maddy. A breakfast he was unable to have the honor to eat. A knock sounded at the door. He opened it to find Maddy Swollen eyed, obviously she had been crying. 

“Maddy.” He said surprised. 

“Mom and I thought you could still use some breakfast though now it’s nearly Lunch, and My father did not stick around to eat either… So there were leftovers” she said hers eyes down. “I know he sent you away. I heard him.” She said nervously. “Mark, I don’t want you to ever leave me alone, please don’t let him run you off.” She said a tear trailing down her cheek. 

“Oh Maddy, I am not going anywhere…Figuratively.” He said remembering OTG pulling her tightly to him and breathed in the clean scent of her hair.

“Figuratively?” she asked.

“I leave day after tomorrow… I have been asked for OTG. It’s for six months.” He said kissing the side of her face. He noted people noticing them on his door way. He nervously pulled her inside the house his cheeks red. “Come inside, we need to talk.”

“Oh I have never been inside.” Maddy noted distractedly. It was tidy, not very lived in feeling.

“That is because you are not exactly supposed to be here…” he said as she took off her sack pulling the long strap over her head. Once the put it down Mark took her again in his arms. He was feeling triumphant and bold. 

He pulled her vest off and he felt her pant and rub against him a moment as they both mutually enjoyed touching and holding each other.   
“Mark, you are leaving?” She said pulling away. 

“I have been asked by the commander and since he granted me the favor I needed most, I cannot protest.” 

“What favor did he grant?” she asked as he held her to him. She had the odd feeling that he had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. 

“His blessing, and a home of our own.” He whispered against her temple. 

“You have to refuse it!” she cried out and tried to push away. 

“What do you mean? I thought this was a wonderful thing?” he asked.

“It is, but it’s also a nightmare! You have to refuse OTG!” She sobbed. 

“Maddy no,” He took her back in his arms. “Even if I was not given this favor I would probably still need to go. This is my job, my responsibility to keep the colony safe, to keep you safe.” He said softly. “I cannot refuse to do my job.” 

Tears streamed from Maddy’s eyes and she melted into Marks arms. She kissed him hard and pulled desperately at his shirt longing to never let him go. In her heart break she wanted him. her fingers dropped to his belt. It was enough to get her point across. 

He pulled at her vest and off it went followed by Maddy’s shirt, and he pulled her back into his room. She was already pregnant and they were not under her father’s roof, he felt there was no shame in loving her “physically” before leaving her. He wanted her to have no doubt of his love and desire of her and besides he wanted sweeter memories of her to draw upon when out there in the wild.

(Later that evening.)

The cool sheets made them both shiver breathlessly as they laid entwined on the bed. The after glow of their lovemaking. He pulled her into his arms tightly and kissed her head. 

“You alright?” he asked looking at her. 

“Yes, I think I am finally better than okay.” She sat up and pulled the sheet more securely around her. “We are in a bed finally.” She smiled at him a blush apparent on her face. 

“Oh, ha, yes. Yes we are.” He smiled stroking the side of her arm. “Many more times ahead of us.” He said pulling her down beside him. His stomach growled.

“Stay here, I will bring us food.” He said wrapping a cloth around his waist and hurried to the kitchen. He brought the food in with him to the bedroom. She had put the pancakes in plastic containers and there was also some rotisserie meat and scrambled eggs. He smiled and brought a fork, one to share, he smiled. 

“I want you to feed me Maddy.” He smiled. 

“Feed you?” she asked. 

“Yes, and I will feed you.” He grinned. “We won’t have time to marry till I get back. It would be like the part where you share cake at a wedding.” He smiled, “And we have cake kinda.” He smiled opening the pancakes. He did feel ridiculous, but it was important to him to feel married to her.

“Oh I ate already,” she refused. She usually did not eat much, but she was hungry again. She though it was excessive so she refused. 

Mark sat and loaded a bite onto the fork. “Maddy,” he grinned. “You are pregnant. With two, you must eat more than ever before. Besides I hear it helps with nausea. Now open up.” He said moving the fork to her mouth. 

“You just want me to get fat.” She rolled her eyes and took the bite and took the fork from his fingers.

Mark kissed her lips as she chewed. “Yes, I am just sad I will miss it all.” He touched her belly. “We will have to do it again sometime, so I can be around to experience it all with you.” He leaned away and fed himself a few bites and then offered her a bite. “Please take care of yourself while I am gone.” 

“I will try.” She answered taking the bite to his mouth.

“Can I issue a command?” he asked carefully. He did not wish to upset her. And chewed the bite.

“A command?” she asked raising her eyebrow unused to orders from him. 

“Well not exactly, Maybe a plea or desperate request.” He asked taking the fork to give her another bite. 

Maddy took it and chewed. “Go on.” 

“Don’t leave Terra Nova, I don’t want to imagine you heavy and awkward trying to out run a Carno or micro Raptors. I will have enough to worry about without driving myself mad with worry about you.” He told her. 

“Well then to prevent being heavy, I will refrain from eating too much.” She giggled. 

“Maddy.” He said seriously. 

“Okay okay, I won’t go out. I hardly go out anyway, except with you.” She kissed him. 

“Thank you, and you will eat at least double.” He said putting another bite to her mouth. She took it and smiled. 

“I love you Mark.” She said leaning toward him. “Come back to me.” 

Mark took her lips in his and put the food away from them. It would be another hour or so before he was expected at his post. He would make the most of every minuet with her. 

“I will.” He whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
0700 dawned bright and most of the colony gathered early and shared coffee to send the twenty five soldiers off. 

Mark looked among the crowd Maddy’s parents showed up, but he did not see Maddy among them. Then he felt a tap on his shoulder. 

“Mark.” Her voice sounded softly.

Mark turned and grabbed her up in his arms and buried his face in her hair. He had been worried that her father would forbid her to come since she left his house late the night before. “Oh Maddy.” His kissed her hard and he noticed the tears in her eyes. He could tell she was trying to be brave. “My brave girl.” He whispered inhaling her scent.

“I have something for you.” She said fishing into her pocket. “It’s one of the few pictures of myself my mom brought, It’s me at about fourteen. I know I look young and awkward, but I wanted you to have a picture of me. Maybe it will help you think of me.” She said uncomfortably. 

Mark looked down at the picture. She had even put in plastic to protect the image for him. “Thank you Maddy.” He said pocketing the image and pulling her into his arms again. He put a hand cautiously to her belly. He knew most people did not know she was pregnant but he wished to acknowledge their presence and the fact that he was leaving them. “Take care of them and yourself.” He kissed her soundly after her agreement. 

“Move out boys.” Commander Taylor shouted slapping the roof of a rover to get the men together and headed out. Both closed their eyes pained that their time together was at an end. 

“I Love you Maddy Shannon.” He said seriously kissed her once more and pulled from her arms. 

“I love you Mark. We need you.” She said touching her belly.

His knees felt weak and he touched his finger tips to her stomach. “I need them, and you too.” He said meeting her eyes. “Remember you promised to stay here.” 

She nodded trying to hold the tears back and remain on her feet. 

His eyes met her fathers who stepped behind her and glared at him, but nodded. Mark decided to take that as a message to take care of himself. Gave him hope, maybe one day he would be accepted by Maddy’s old man. He hoped it happened soon. It would make Maddy happy, and that with his deepest desire, to make her happy. 

He stole one last gaze at his lady love, She was for the first time wearing a white linen dress. He thought she looked beautiful. She looked like she glowed. He heard the term used in reference to pregnant women before but he always thought it was just a term, but Maddy, she did glow. She seemed utterly beautiful to him, even in her tears. He smiled one last time. He did not want anyone to see his own emotion he felt gathering in his eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
Four months later: 

Taylor sat in his office and his heart sank at the news. News from OTG was bad twelve confirmed dead, before they lost communication with them completely. Sheriff stood in his office numb with shock. 

“Liz was right.” He said finally dropping into a chair. 

“Excuse me?” Taylor asked 

“Just something my wife said.” Jim replied a while back. “Poor kid. Will you send anyone to scout? Maddy needs to know if he is gone.” He asked sadly. “I offer myself.” He said.

“Yeah, but the mission to find them could well have the same fate as their own. I cant keep losing men. Its almost as if in this area the wild life knows things that we don’t.

They predict your movements, not sure how. Dangerous territory, but survivable, at least it has been. I have never lost more than three or four men per mission.” He explained pointing at the map. “Something is wrong.” 

 

“Mom look I can watch my belly move on its own. It’s pretty weird.” She said setting aside her pamphlet she was making. 

“How are the boys doing today?” her mother asked as she cooked and prepared the evening meal. 

“Oh active, it hurts sometimes, but this moving thing is a total trip. Distracting from my homework.” She laughed. 

“Homework?” her mom asked. “I thought you were taking a holiday like all the other students?” she asked confused. 

“Different. Not school.” She said sheepishly. 

“What is it about?” her mom asked curious about all the projects her children worked on. 

“Oh nothing, Just a hobby of mine.” She smiled. 

“Come one now, tell me what you are spending your time on rather than knitting those blankets you have been whining about all month.” Elizabeth teased. 

“Oh it’s just an idea that just keeps taking over head.” She replied. “I got this desire to read a book that I left back home and one day at school here, and I was talking about it with a few people and one person said they had it. I asked if I could borrow it for a few days. They did but they charged me.” She laughed explaining. “Seems books can be a bit of a commodity. Well…. I recalled Libraries! I know they went out of popularity some time in 2021 what with all the internet libraries there were, people just stopped going she explained. “Well I want to bring libraries to Terra Nova one day now we are completely cut off from the 2149 we need to preserve our stories and knowledge. For now I am borrowing and copying all the material I can onto my Plexi and copying it by hand later. I know I will blow my core on it again, and I doubt we will be finding and creating our cores in the near future.” She said awkwardly. “My handwriting is not great.” 

“I think it is a brilliant idea. I have so many medical books about the clinic I will bring a few home for you each week to help you.” She encouraged. 

“I really just need more paper-“ Maddy started. 

Jim walked in the door. He looked at Maddy. She was noticeably pregnant. To most you would think she was near her due date, but because of twins she looked bigger.  
“Hey, Sweet heart, you okay?” Elizabeth asked. 

“Uh, No.” his serious expression tipped his wife off that it was serious. “Maddy I have some bad news. OTG is missing, the entire group. Mark was among the last know survivors, but we have not heard a response in over twenty hours.” He stopped speaking and watched his daughter turn sheet white. 

She stuttered. Her breathing was coming in bursts. “What are they going to do? He’s alive, they have to go get him and bring him back.” Maddy cried. Her knees grew weak and her mother rushed to her side to steady her. Her father on the other hand stood rooted to the spot. This was the worst news he ever had to give. 

“Taylor has a plan. I offered to help search for him.” He tried to sooth but knew that a search was likely to fail. 

“Offered? Daddy it’s because of you he’s out there. Taylor only chosen Mark to prevent you two from coming to fists. You are why he’s out there. Now go to Taylor and demand to bring my fiancé home to me. My sons need their father. They need their father!” she cried into her mothers shoulder. 

Jims heart broke. He did not realize she blamed him for her boyfriend being sent off on a dangerous mission. He looked pleading at his wife who just stood holding their daughter in her arms. Her expression was cold. As if the answer was obvious. 

His wife icier tone came from her normally sweet mouth. “Jim, go to Taylor you need to do something.” She pointed to the door. 

Taking a deep breath he sighed listening to his daughters wailing. “I know.” nodding he turned and left the house. 

\----------------------

“Taylor! Commander Taylor!” Jim shouted as he climbed the steps to the hut. 

“What are you carrying on about Shannon?” Taylor asked popping out of his office. 

“Taylor get me a team, I need to go out there and get Reynolds. I may not like the kid but I cannot be blamed for him being in danger.” He said passionately. “Maddy thinks you sent him out there to keep me and him from coming to blows.”

“That daughter of yours, she is a smart little ting aint she? And if I did send him out because of you?” he asked leaning back on his left leg. “Mr. Shannon for three whole days all I heard from you is how you wanted to kill him. I was only trying to spare your family and Reynolds budding new family the destructive pain your attitude and actions would have caused if Reynolds did not leave long enough for you to calm down and see how much Reynolds means to your daughter and vice verse...” Taylor became sullen. “I should have not sent him out. I had heard reports of the dangers of the area had increased, but I did not think it was anything my team could not handle.” he took a drink off a shot he had poured. “I lost some good men out there.” 

Jim rubbed his eyes. “Ugh I did not take it all too well did i?” 

Commander Taylor early shrugged as if the answer to the question was painfully obvious. 

“I need to find out if he is dead, and if he is alive I need to bring him back for her. I owe her this.” Jim confessed. “Taylor give me a team and let me find them.”

“Already have a team formed. They leave at dawn. Hours from now, I know but we cannot start at twilight. They are far from here, its gonna take us weeks to get there, you will have to spend the nights out in the wild.” He explained. 

“We?” Jim asked.

“Yeah, I guess I am half to blame for this too I might as well go out and look for the boys as well. Terra Nova has been well on its feet for a couple months now…I think they can handle me gone for a couple of weeks.” He said going to his canter. “A drink for luck Shannon.” 

“Alright,” he said taking the offered glass. 

“If we find him, alive do you think you can have a change of heart?” Taylor asked him.

“I don’t know. I just know that Maddy’s happiness and my own happiness are not one and the same. If Mark dies, I may get what I want, him out of my little girls life, but that would destroy her and that would just kill me.” He drank it down and asked for another. “I just cant live with the fact I caused her the biggest sorrow of her life.” He said drinking the second glass down. 

“Another to help your troubled sleep.” Taylor said filling the whisky again a third round. “I think they both are good kids. I think their love is real. I would hate to see it end like this.” Taylor said filling his cup a third time. “Now get some sleep Shannon. We move out at the very first light.” He said gravely. 

\--------------------

 

Jim went home only to be intercepted by a soldier telling him everyone was at the clinic. He felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He raced to the clinic and found his wife with other nurses. 

“Oh Jim. Do you have any news?” she asked. 

“About Mark? No nothing, but a team is going out tomorrow, I am among them.” He said, “But Liz what is the matter, why are we all here?” he asked. 

“Maddy went into preterm labor. The stresses. We gave her meds to stop it but the future of the babies are in jeopardy. We do not have the facilities to deal with very early premature babies. She needs to hang on to the pregnancy for minimum three weeks if they are to have even the slightest chance. We are going to keep her here. Make a permanent bed and bring things for her to occupy herself with. But Josh and I will handle that just fine.” She said tears gathering. “You find him jim, and you both come home.” 

“Ill try Liz.” He whispered hugging her. “I love you.” 

“I love you, fool. Now go get some rest and sleep off the booze.” She ordered. 

“Only had a couple with the commander.” He kissed her. “Night Liz. Tell Maddy I am sorry. Not now, but sometime?” he asked. 

“I will Jim.”


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
Three Weeks later OTG Jim and Taylor

“Now this signal, why did we pick it up just now?” Jim asked.

“I don’t know, I imagine there must be some sort of power drain, or weak transmitter. From our intel its been beeping for days but for some reason it can’t broadcast more than five miles.” Taylor scanned the forest warily. 

“I got a bad feeling.” Jim whispered. 

Jim pointed up. His signal to head for the trees. His men on the ground quickly and as silently as possible climbed the large looming trunks. Jim was getting very tired of this. But the signal was hope, Mark could be alive.

Taylor finished climbing up behind him. He was always the last man off the ground. He insisted on providing cover for his men. Jim trusted the man’s instincts implicitly. 

“Know that feeling?” He asked. 

“I had it too.” He answered nodding to the wildlife in the bush below “They have put us in a trap right now. We are the ultimate prize, but we are also bait.” He said taking a drink off his canteen. “We are spread out in the trees, defendable but cut off from one another. We also have limited ammo with the rest within the rovers, which we are cut off from. We are going to attract some pretty tasty critters and the Raptors are going to take advantage of the prey attracted by us. Eventually we will grow hungry and climb out of the trees weak and thirsty. That is when they will pick us off.” He explained smiling.

“You get a kick out of all this danger and nearly dying stuff.” Jim accused. 

“Damn straight.” He laughed. 

“We can just try to pick them off.” Jim offered. 

Taylor shook his head. “Nah, there is possibly twenty or more, and we may never even see them coming. What we need is a Carno to trample through here and scare them away. But a Carno could reach us up here and be a bigger danger.” He laughed sarcastically. “This is most likely what the boys faced. Raptors are smart. Micro raptor are smart too but not quite equal. It’s like the difference between a chimpanzee and a human. See these guys strategize. They manipulate the situation to get the most bang for their buck.”  
“Taylor this is Terra Nova do you copy?” a voice over the speaker asked. 

“Terra Nova this is Taylor do you copy?” he asked. 

“Yes sir Terra Nova has the coordinates for that signal. It is one and a half clicks directly west of you. It is a building in a clearing; Notes call the station JS24 also known as bloody bluff an abandoned outpost, little detail” The voice replied. “It does not have much there, but it would offer protection from the local wildlife for a dozen or more. Over.” 

“Good, I almost forgot about that one. We are all accounted for but we have found ourselves in a stale mate, do you think you could sent a sonic to a half click due east of us. We need to try and see if you can draw something off, Over.”

“Copy that commander. Five minutes, over.” The voice finished. 

“Okay men we will all have to load up quickly and secure all rover hatches. This may not work to draw them all off and we need to get to the rovers. One and one half click directly west. We need to move fast, and this jungle is dense, we will move blindly.” He stopped listening to the forest. “ When you feel the wave wait for my signal to hop down and load up.”

Short time later they felt the the vibration. Looking down at the forest floor they watched hordes of movement rushing away. It sickened Jim to see how surrounded they actually were, But they seemed to be rushing the opposite direction, away from them. 

Taylor gave the signal and all the men started to load up. Screams sounded all around them. Jim saw perhaps two men go down, but he heard more screams than that. But the men that survived made it into the vehicles as commanded. Taylor gunned it just as a Raptor launched its self at the side of the vehicle. Its claws tried to pry the door off and its teeth attacked the grates. Jim grabbed his long knife from his leg and aimed at its nose as it attacked. It lodged it and got stuck. And was unable to pry it out. 

Taylor purposeful drove closer to a tree trunk. It brushed the predator off like nothing. Jim looked behind to see most of the other rovers following closely behind. 

“I thought they all left!” Jim shouted. 

“No, I knew a few remained. But we had a chance.” He smiled his half crazy grin. “You saw how many there were, I just tried to even up the odds a bit.”

 

Elizabeth stared at the projection image of her grand sons. “They are doing well Maddy. The fluid is low but not too low. What have you eaten today?” she asked.

“Not much, Oatmeal.” She responded. 

“How about some fructose?” her mom asked. “I would like to see those little buggers wiggle.” She smiled. 

“Apple Juice?” Maddy asked hopeful. 

“yes.” Her mom patted her belly. “I think they might like the treat. Not too soon to be spoiling my grandsons?” she asked smiling. 

She left to the fridge and took the juice pitcher out and poured Maddy a cup. 

“How is the Library going?” Elizabeth asked bringing in the juice. 

“Oh alright. Gives me something to do while I am bed ridden. Josh is so nice to go out there and find books for me.” Maddy smiled. “I have copied thirty eight books. I really need doubles, but I think I will focus on that later. But Josh just scored me five more. I will be busy, very busy the next few days. Keep my mind occupied off my many troubles.” She sighed. “Can you check to see if there is any news?” she asked.

“All ready did. I was just about to tell you, last they heard was a sonic had to be used to help the team in some way, they don’t know quite yet if they got out. The seemed to be on the trail of a signal though, so that is some news.” She said brightly.

“Well I guess that’s something”, she said chewing her lip. She was afraid to hope. It had been a three weeks since last communications with Mark or his group. She fearing she would have to give him up for dead. Every time she felt that she felt dizzy, but she talked herself down. Mark would be angry if he knew what she had allowed her nerves to do. She nearly lost the boys with her crying and carrying on.

“Yeah it is,” her mom said squeezing her hand, “Oh look the juice has kicked in. See how they like the juice?” 

“Mom bring me news as soon as possible.” She pleaded. 

“Course honey.” she brushed the hair out of her face and squeezed her hand. 

 

 

 

“Commander Taylor am I glad to see you!” a soldier greeted opening the bunker door.

“Sanders right?” Taylor asked. The man nodded. “Move in men. Circle up the rovers defensively. And get in here and lock up. We are sitting tight tonight to get some sleep.” He finished his orders and followed sanders into the bunker. “How many survivors?” he asked. 

“Nine including me, Many injuries. Were half starved. It took us weeks to climb from tree to tree to this bluff, we lost more men crossing the field than in the weeks we crossed in the trees.” The soldier shook his head. 

“Where is Reynolds he a survivor?” Taylor asked. 

“Well yes sir, but his eyes are injured. A fader was in the bunker when we took it. It blinded him. The door was wide open. He took it down though before he completely lost his sight” Sanders replied. “A real handy cap out here Sir. He needs his eyes flushed to clear out the irritant but we have no medical supplies like that here, they are back at the rovers.”

“We will load up tomorrow. We have two rovers unaccounted for, I will have men go back for them right now before the Raptors are back. It will be dangerous but it will be a fast mission. We need those rovers to but you men inside. We lost a handful getting here too. I imagine we might lose a few more. But that’s the way with the wild. Now continue briefing me on what had happened.” He asked the soldier further. 

Jim scanned the survivors and is eyes fell on Mark. He was banged up pretty bad. Scratches all over indicated very close run ins with those raptors. The kid would be scarred on account of them not being medically tended to properly. Luckily they brought a large medical kit. He ran to the vehicle and grabbed the supplies. He approached Mark carefully. His eyes looked raw and chemically burned. 

“I have a salt water eye wash in the box, Reynolds.” Jim said kneeling beside him.

“Mr. Shannon?” Mark asked.

“Yeah kid, its me.” He answered opening the case and pulled out the saline based solution wash. “Now I am going to open your eyes and rinse them out. I will need to do that during the trip. We will want to be able to restore your eye sight… cant do that if the material is left to sink in too much.” He said squirting the solution onto the pupil.

“Maddy? How is she?” he asked breathlessly. 

“I don’t know kid. I left her in rough shape.” He responded. 

“Is she hurt? Is she alright? Are the babies alright?” he asked panicked. 

“Calm down son. She is on bed rest last I checked. She went into preterm labor on account of you going missing.” he said calmly. “They stopped the labor and now they are just trying to keep Maddy as inactive as possible. Naturally you can imagine how that is affecting her.” He laughed a little.

“She is alright though and the babies?” he asked. 

“Worried sick about you is her biggest issue. I am here to cure it. I am taking you back to her.” He said moving on to doctoring his cuts. 

“Why?” Mark asked wincing from the contact of the cloth on his open wounds.

“Because I came to the conclusion that you kids did not mean to do what you did” he put down the cloth exasperated. “Look kid, I don’t accept the actions you two made, but I have gotten used to it. Maddy is getting older. Don’t forget she was still a child when I went away to prison and it’s hard for me to see her any other way.”

Mark remained silent and endured Mr. Shannon’s attention. 

“Hey there Reynolds, Good to see you in one piece. Little worse for wear.” Taylor said coming to Jim’s side. “You apply the wash to his eyes?” Taylor asked. 

“Yeah.” Jim answered. 

“When did that happen son?” Taylor asked. 

“Three nights back.” Mark answered. 

“Well Lets wash your eyes again in a few hours. It should help bring back some of your sight. Once we get to Terra Nova they can repair the micro burns and chemical scar reversal therapy. Another few days without properly rinsing out the chemical you would have been permanently blinded.” Taylor informed. 

“I know sir, our own medical supplies were left in the rover about two clicks back. The Raptors sabotaged our radio communications and our transport.” Mark tried to stand   
“You alright son?” Jim asked worried. 

“Yeah, my ribs are broken.” Mark answered rubbing his eyes. They felt relieved but he could not see much at all. “I’m blind.” He shrugged. 

“It’s alight Reynolds we will be your eyes.” Taylor responded. “I have to tell Terra Nova we got them. It will only take two or three days to be in safer territory, and only two days from there, now we don’t have to waste time searching.” Taylor patted Mark on the shoulder. “Good to see you alive kid.”

“Good to still be alive, Sir.” Mark answered as enthusiastically as he could. 

Taylor walked up to the rover to get out of the bunker to receive better signal. He had three men setting up the big dog sonics to supervise and left Jim and Mark catch up.  
“Let me finish washing these. I see you have infection.” Jim noted at the puffy red lesions. “Your skin is on fire, good thing we are supplies with antibiotics, here take two of these.” Jim said tossing the package. “and your dehydrated. Maddy can’t see you in this shape.”

“Sir you don’t have to do all this.” Mark spoke softly. “I’m alright.” Mark was embarrassed to have Maddy’s father who wished to kill him, caring for him as his nurse maid. He did not like looking weak,least of all in front of Maddy’s father. 

“No you are not, kid.” Jim replied. “Is this a pride thing?” Jim asked.

Mark remained silent. 

“Look kid, I am aware you can take care of yourself, Two weeks in the trees?” He soothed. “I am aware you are a man, But it makes me feel better to call you kid. It keeps me from ringing your neck.” He tried lightly.

“Maddy?” Mark started breathlessly. “she-“

“Relax kid,” Jim said sticking a needle in him.

“OW Fuck.” Mark shouted and then coughed. It hurt so much, he felt like his ribs were burning. 

“Just some pain reliever for those broken bones.” He said putting the supplies back in the box. “I will go help the others. 

“Wait Mr. Shannon.” Mark said grasping out to stop him blindly.

Jim grabbed his hand. “Yeah?” he asked. 

“Maddy…If I don’t make it, you have to. This world is a dangerous one, she and the babies need someone strong to protect them. I am weak right now, I probably won’t make it, if it comes to it, your life or mine you have to leave me, not that it would trouble you any.” He said squeezing. “I can’t have her lose you also. She would not be able to bear it.” 

“Now you listen and you listen well, you matter more to her safety happiness and wellbeing than I do. You matter more to your sons than I do. Just sit tight and we will all try to get home in one piece.” He said. 

“My sons?” Mark asked his voiced stricken with emotion. “Boys?” he asked. 

“Yeah. I’m sorry, I forgot that you could not know…Maddy probably wanted to be the one to tell you.” Jim said sheepishly. 

“Yeah, she probably did.” Mark smiled. She likes surprises.

Jim patted his hand. “Here eat this and drink this…Get some rest.” Jim moved away to find Commander Taylor and get the plan. 

“Oh Maddy.” Mark whispered and relaxed against the wall. Concern for her and his children was so overwhelming. He was desperate to make it back home to her, but scared to hope that he would survive the journey.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jim went up to find Taylor. 

“We have company.” Taylor laughed. “Raptors are back followed the group I sent to fetch the rovers. Looked like a bloody massacre back there. We are now down three men. Perimeter is secure though. The big dogs (Sonics) are up. They respond like any other to sonics, but I doubt we will have need. They know they have the disadvantage with the open field…But We are in effect trapped here.” He laughed. “Drink?” He asked offering Jim his flask. 

“You don’t seem too worried.” Jim marveled accepting a little liquid courage. Jim never felt he was a coward but this man, Commander Taylor made him look like he was made of cotton candy. He scanned the tree line. 

“I am not…yet.” Commander Taylor paused. “I ordered Launch Sonics for dawn. Draw most predators away from us same idea as before. But we will have a real problem if it does not work again today. See these guys they might not fall for that tactic again.” 

Sanders who had been listening to the conversation. “Sir with your permission.” He interrupted. 

“Go ahead soldier.” Taylor responded. 

“They might fall for it if you hit their nest.” He said quietly. 

“If I knew where that was damn straight I would try to hit it.” Taylor laughed. 

Sanders rushed into his pocket and pulled out a map. “We were ambushed here, lost seven guys before making it into the trees, but over the next few days we covered harsh territory. We heard there was a bunker over here off the map. Don’t know why its off the map now.” He said. 

“Because its knee deep in Raptor Territory. Wasn’t always.” Taylor said looking at the map. 

“Well as we crossed through the canopy. A few days in, the attacks were vicious. They were trying desperately to get into the trees. Even going as far as climbing on each others backs in effort to reach higher. They cooperated, but still were unable to reach all of us. We lost three in the trees. One day we figured out why, we were just on the edge of the spot they were nesting with their eggs.” He said pointing to the map where he had already made notations about the nest. “ ts here. Give them the coordinates and hit them hard.” 

“Good soldier, good.” Taylor nodded and reached for his radio. “Terra Nova, Commander Taylor speaking do you copy?” 

“Terra nova, read you loud and clear.” The voice responded. 

“I need three maybe four sonics all along the ridge and valley at one click due south from our present location. and all along that ridge at 0700 tomorrow. Do you copy?” Taylor finished. 

“Comander Taylor this is Terra Nova, copy. Ridge south of your location one click. Everything alright commander?” the voice asked. 

“Terra Nova, Commander Taylor. We are just sitting tight for the night. Move out in the morning. Contact me before you send the sonics.” He said. “Over.”

“Copy that Commander, you all sit tight and rest. Over” the voice said. 

 

\------  
Elizabeth raced to the clinic. She had just been down to check on the search and rescue party, The news was finally good. 

“Mom what is it?” Maddy asked trying to sit up.

“No sit, Sweetie. You should remain still…” Elizabeth hesitated telling her anything about Mark since the news was good and bad. Mark was alive but that was only going to give her brief relief, he was also very injured and injuries like that killed people out there. She decided to remain silent for the time being. 

“Mom you looked like you have news?” Maddy asked. 

“Me oh no I checked down there but heard nothing.” Taylor and your father are well though. Closing in on that signal.” She smiled reassuringly. “Now let me check on these guys?” she said pulling out the probes. 

Maddy lifted her shirt over her expanded and stretched belly. “Ugh these stretch marks.” She sighed. 

“I know after your brother I looked like I had been attached by tigers.” Her mother laughed. “You get used to it, and they fade some.” She assured. 

“They are ugly.” She sighed. 

“I am sure Mark would not hold the scars against you.” Her mom smiled. “Your father never held them against me.” 

The screen of the babies popped up. “Still looking good.” She commented looking at her grandsons. “You get some sleep.” She said disconnecting the probes and tucking her in. 

“I will mom, bring me news though. I am dying of worry.” Maddy replied lying back on the pillow. 

“I will when I know anything.” She lied. Her daughter was just one stress away from giving birth way to early for her boys.” She left the clinic whispering a prayer Jim and Mark lived, and the babies stayed put.

 

\----

 

Taylor stood outside at 0650 waiting, listening to the silence but knowing they were not alone they were still out there in the bushes surrounding them. The guns were still set up. They would be the last things to dismantle once the injured were loaded into the rover. Mark rode in Jim’s and his own Rover. He was already set up and strapped in. 

Jim loaded up himself waiting for the pulse wave and the mad dash out of this place. Taylor answer his radio, Jim watched his response. 

“Okay load the dogs up boys we need to be ready to get out in three minutes!” he shouted. 

As the guns were being dismantled Taylor noticed nervous and anxious movement in the shrubs. “Now Now! Hurry get in the rovers. Load up that last gun now!” Taylor shouted just as raptors crashed through the brush and out into the open. Taylor shot at a raptor that was racing toward the three men loading up the last gun. Taylor shot true and felled the beast but there was one right behind that one. The Raptor leapt high and pounced on the last soldier getting into the rover. His screams sounded the dinner bell to all the rest of the raptors and they started pouring into the open field. 

Taylor slammed the locks down and looked outside. 

“Taylor, we need to get out of here.” Jim shouted.

“We have another minuet. We just need to hold our positions another minuet.” He said looking at his watch.

“Taylor we are sitting ducks!” Jim yelled as a raptor pounced on their own rover.

“Should have waited till the pulse to load up the big dogs… They knew, that’s why they attacked. The can tell we are setting up for something.” Taylor said looking at the action. “Alright boys we all in?” He asked over the rover radio. 

“All present sir. except for Walsh. Raptors… we have some small injuries. The claws fit through holes” the voice explained. 

“Sit tight, we will be out of here in minuets, when I gun it you follow, same path we came in. We cant afford to be slowed by the brush. Keep close.”

“Copy that commander- Copy- copy.” Said all the rovers.

Mark sat in the back listening. His hand was on a long knife. His only defense against these monsters. He just sat back and waited. He could hear the panic and pandemonium around him but he felt detached from it. 

He felt a jolt; It was the sonic pulse/wave they were waiting for. In a matter of ten seconds everything went quiet besides themselves. Taylor looked out and waited a moment till they could hear feet pounding as the creatures raced away. 

“Were out of here!” Taylor yelled as he floored the rover. They raced through the field back into the forest where they had come from. The speed was reckless. Jim looked behind to see how mark held up. 

“None followed us?” Jim asked. 

Taylor shook his head. “We probably have a handful on our tail. Keep moving right now is our best option. Raptors are territorial. They will stop following eventually…” he answered as a tree was felled in front of him, he veered the car to take evasive action and it worked but one rover nearly turned too late. 

“See, smart devils.” Taylor shouted. Jim they few times he was out with Taylor knew he got a thrill from danger but this guy seemed giddy at the prospect of death.

Jim pulled his gun up at ready for the next onslaught. Which did not come, the rest of the trip out that day was quiet and uneventful.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Maddy sat copying a medical Journal about the life span of the prehistoric tape worm. 

“Hey Hun, How you feeling this morning?” He mom said brightly. 

“Huge.” Maddy answered and Josh poked in. 

“Yeah huge, I can almost feel the gravitational pull.” He scoffed. “Hey Mad, Here is a cook book I found. Its worn and the pages are sticking together, but-“ he said offering the book. 

“A cook book!” she exclaimed excited. She laughed looking at it, “Funny thing is most of these ingredients have not even evolved yet look at this one, T-bone steak. The cow is not even evolved yet. Spinach leaf….ect. None of these meals can even be cooked.” 

“So what’s the use in copying it?” Josh asked. 

Maddy looked up confused, and though about the question herself… “I don’t know?” she said quietly. “I just think maybe someone will like to read about this one day, maybe. It’s almost like we come from a different world, not just a different time….Things are so different here. It may be nice to be reminded of where we came from.”   
“And we get that from a cook book?” Josh asked sarcastically, slumping into the seat beside her bed. 

“Well I don’t know. I just feel one day people may be happy I helped preserve all these stories. Plexi cores are blowing left and right and the engineering team does not know how to make them here yet… it could be a while living like this.” She said sadly. 

“Doesn’t bother me…” Josh shrugged. “World is more interesting without books anyway.” He laughed. 

“Not for me it isn’t. I cant live unless I can learn something or teach someone.” She smiled. 

“Ready Maddy?” Her mom asked. 

“Yeah.” She said pulling up her shirt getting prepared for the daily check on the babies. “Any news?” Maddy asked. It had been days and her mom had just said they were making progress. She kept putting her off and Maddy tried to act calm but inside she was barely managing to keep it together. 

“No, uh I have not gone down there yet today, after we check the little ones I can go down there if you want?” she asked. She herself was anxious to hear they were alright. She had heard they made it out of the Raptor infested area, but there were still many dangers out there everywhere she thought to herself. 

Maddy nodded, she was eager for any scrap of news, she still did not know if they had found the team, last she heard was they were drawing close to a beaconed location…someone was signaling. 

Elizabeth stuck the little probes onto her daughters stretched belly. “You been feeling alright today?” she asked. “Anything out of the ordinary?” she asked as she usually asked her now and again. 

“Eh some back pain other than that bout the same.” Maddy said, “Other than them constantly being on my bladder.” She sighed. “I am quite literally peeing myself, like all the time.” She laughed. 

Her mom chuckled too, “well that’s quite common from time to time.” He mom laughed and the screen popped up she noted the level of fluid in the sac. “Uh Maddy, how long has that been going on?” she asked a little worried. 

“Since last night… I used a towel to soak up the pee, but it just kept coming, I did not even feel like I was peeing.” She said and laughed. “A nurse started giving me pads this morning.” She said absently. 

“Maddy, you have not been urinating, your amniotic sac has a tear in it. It’s a slow leak right now, but you are in labor again, we cannot stop it this time, at this rate you will have the babies soon. Very soon.” She said seriously. “Nurse, I need to get her labor started take care of that for me.” She yelled to the nurse who shuffled away quickly. 

“Mom, it’s too early?” Maddy said scared tears springing into her eyes. 

“Shhh Maddy, I know. It is, but you held on for weeks. You did so good, you gave them their best chance… Now we have to face the fact that their best bet at survival is out here.” She said hugging her frightened daughter to her. 

“I can’t lose them, mom. I just can’t lose them.” She cried into her mother shoulder. “I have already lost their father. Oh Mark!” she sobbed. 

“Maddy Mark could be fine, I need you to be strong now. We will do the best we can. I have taken the liberty of setting up a makeshift nic-unite here. The babies will have a good chance.” She soothed. “You just need to find that place in your heart that tells you that everything will be alright. Think of a time you were completely happy.” Her mother requested. 

Maddy thought for a moment and remembered her and Marks first date. She had felt like she could fly when he had kissed her high up in the tree. Most romantic experience of her life. But it just brought back the pain of losing Mark. She cried as the iv was started and her mother held her hand while contractions started. Her back hurt like someone had her spine in a vice. 

Soon all she was able to focus on was the pain. 

“Maddy do you want anything for the pain?” her mother asked hopefully knowing the contractions were becoming strong now. It was nearing midafternoon and Maddy’s labor had been going strong for about five hours. 

“No,” she said softly bracing herself against the pain. 

“Why not?” her mother asked. 

“The pain makes me forget my heart ache and worry.” She confessed. 

Elizabeth’s heart clenched at that statement. She never did check on the rescue team, she had been with Maddy but right now she had a few minutes to run and see if they were still alright. 

“I will be right back sweetheart.” She said kissing her head. She raced outside and ran to the offices. The soldiers were used to seeing her and they now stepped aside when she popped in. 

“Any news?” she asked. 

“Mrs. Shannon, yes coming in hot. Arriving in little more than an hour.” The soldier smiled. “Get beds ready, there are enough injuries to keep you busy all night.” He laughed. 

She was so relieved; she raced to the clinic and started barking orders the moment she walked in the door. “Beds ready, sterilization equipment at each bed along with bandages and splints.” She ran back and checked on Maddy who was curled up bracing against a contraction. 

“Honey I have some good-“she was about to say when her previously very silent daughter screamed against the contraction her body was gripped with. “Do you want the meds now?” she asked. 

“Yes!” she screamed. 

“Okay lie back let me see how you are progressing.” She said getting in position. “Well alright.” She said finally and pushed the chair back. “Bad news. It’s too late for meds…Where is Josh?” she asked. 

“I don’t know.” Maddy replied impatiently. 

“I need to find Josh, I need him to stay with you while I treat wounds.” She told Maddy. 

“The clinic has been quiet.” She said relaxing after the last contraction. 

“Bout to get busy, but don’t think about that right now. I want you to focus on those babies. When you feel like you need to go to the bathroom call for me or a nurse right away.” She said rushing out the door. 

“But Mom!” Maddy yelled. “I can’t do this alone!” she cried. 

“You’re not alone honey, I’m still right here and I can hear you and the babies both.” Elizabeth yelled pulling up the medical histories of all individuals on the OTG mission and the rescue mission. 

She sighed frustrated. Keeping the details of the past few days from Maddy felt awful. But she felt it was right. Now mark was coming here just in time to see his children come into the world, and he would also be here to help Maddy deal with the outcome if it turned out bad. She sighed and sent a little prayer up that all would turn out in the end.

She glanced at the clock and realized an entire hour had flown by.

“Hey mom, Hear the news?” Josh asked as he waked into the clinic. 

“Shhh, I told you to stay with your sister. She is in labor right now you numb skull.” She lectured him. 

“Sorry, I just wanted a bite to eat and you had nothing in the fridge. So I went to see what Sky was up to and if she would feed me.” He responded. 

“Uh, just go back there and be sensitive and kind. And just hush up right now.” She said pushing him to the back of the clinic. “Don’t tell her anything right now.”

A few soldiers rushed in and the nurses answered them immediately leading them to beds. She saw Jim he was under one arm and Taylor was under the other helping a very battered soldier she recognized as Mark. He looked tired. 

“Elizabeth,” Jim he greeted. “I got him back.” He smiled triumphant. 

“I you did, but a little worse for wear.” She smiled warmly and kissed her husband AS Taylor shifted mark and told him to sit. 

“Maddy?” Mark whispered.

“Now young man, it’s good to have you back.” She said touching his shoulder. 

“Good to be back.” He smiled. “When can I see Maddy?” he asked. 

“Oh well I suppose you will be able to see once we fix those eyes up, I just need to take a look and repair what I can tonight, but you will need to come back for the next few weeks to have more work done. But the nurse will treat your cuts and I am going to handle your eyes. Let’s see if we can’t get you seeing.” She said setting up the equipment and the eye mask. “You are a pro. Most people whine once their eyelids are pinned back.” She maneuvered the big canner over his eyeball and magnified the tears. She sealed them microscopically. The damage was considerable but she thought she would be able to get his eyes usable at least tonight. Suddenly another guttural scream sounded from the back of the Clinic. 

Elizabeth looked to a nurse standing assisting another doctor. She motioned her to go check on Maddy. Making these repairs was a delicate task but she wished him to be able to see his sons when they were born and she was dedicated to get as much finished as possible. 

“That hurt?” she asked him as he tensed. 

Mark did not respond, he was just listening around him. Someone screamed in pain and he thought for a moment it was Maddy, but then there was nothing more. He took a deep breath. His eyes felt hot, but nothing like the burning he had felt when he was blinded. 

Then he heard another scream again only it what much higher pitched like a steam engine.

“That’s aright honey you can push now.” Mark hear a woman say. It was so faint then he heard another scream.

His mind raced. 

“Mark, you need to sit still right now, we don’t want to ruin your eyes.” Elizabeth said.

“Maddy,” he said. 

“Yes, I know. But right now you have to sit still.” She soothed. Her own heart was pounding. Seemed Maddy was finally at the point of pushing and she was missing it, not only was she missing it but Mark was too. She tried not to rush herself.

More screams came from the back. “Mom, Mom!” Maddy screamed.

Mark heard Maddy now clearly for the first time. His heart pounded and he went to sit up.

“Mark Lie back I am not done.” Elizabeth said impatiently. 

“Maddy? she is here!” he said, “I can hear her.” He said jumping up the machine still attached to his face his eyelids plastered back grotesquely. 

“Jim,” Liz said looking to him for help. “Mark, let me take that off first and we will take you to her, you might frighten her as you are.”

“She is here.” He cried as he complied and laid his head back. 

Elizabeth finished her work and applied the fluid to help with the pain, and inflammation. “Now Mark, you should notice improvement over the next few hours. It will get better and better. I need you to see me daily for a while till we have you back at 20/20.” She said helping him stand. 

Screaming continued and Mark stood and headed toward the screams, he sent a medical tray to the floor. “It’s alright, just let me lead you, she said guiding him back.” She said. 

“Mom, come in here!” Maddy screamed. 

“Coming sweetheart.” She said coming through the curtain. Maddy’s face broke into a pained grin and she broke down crying. 

“Mark?” she whispered. 

“Maddy?” he asked as he was guided to her side. 

“What is the matter Mark?” she asked hugging him breathing in his scent which was awful but she did not care. 

“Oh I am just blind right now. It will be alright.” He kissed her and he could not hold his tears back. “What’s happening? Gosh you have grown. Are you and the babies alright?” he asked finding her belly and stroked it lightly, almost reverently and he hugged her close to him. 

“I am in labor” she panted. “Oow.” She cried and clung to him. Mark winced but held her tightly against him. He smelled her hair and touched her skin. 

He pulled her away for a moment. “It’s too early?” he asked blankly to the room. He hopes Elizabeth was in the room still. 

“Yes, it is early, but they have a chance. I have an incubator set up. They will have to share since we only have one incubator.” Elizabeth replied. 

Mark took Maddy’s hand as she screamed through another contraction. Her grip was intense; he wondered if she was going to break his hand and then he hear a definitive “crunch”. He hardly felt it considering his broken ribs and lacerations. 

“Oh my god,” Maddy cried. “I think I broke your hand” she panted and pushed. 

“Yeah, don’t worry, just hold this hand.” Mark said clenching his jaw against the heat he felt from his new broken appendage.

Elizabeth noted his broken hand and made a mental note to have that treated soon. Poor man needed working hands and eyes. 

“Now Maddy your first born is ready, his head is right there I can see his hair, but you need to sit up, when your next contraction hits I want you to put your chin to your chest and I need you to give me a big push.” Her mother coached. Jim lingered with Josh just outside the door. 

Jim watched his little girl push her own child out, and looked at Marks head calm next to her own. He was entirely focused on Maddy. He knew the kid could not see very well but he could tell he was focused on giving her strength. Jim watched as his daughter became a woman in his eyes and he cried, just like he did the day she was born. Pride swelled through him. She had beside her a man who was entirely devoted and focused on her. He realized he could have not chosen a better partner for Maddy, not if he had ten thousand men to choose from, none would love Maddy like Mark would. 

When Mark heard his first child cry he did not break focus, He could see her head outline but he saw no details. He just breathed with her. 

“He’s here Maddy, but he needs to go straight to the incubator. You can hold and see him a little later.” He mother said passing the tiny bundle to a nurse. “Go get started with him. I need to bring his brother out.” She said to the nurse who carefully left the room. 

Mark stroked Maddy’s hair as she started to cry. “It’s alright, they are looking after him.” He kissed her head and Maddy wrapped her arms around his waist and he winced. She felt his recoil but he stayed in place. His hand soothed her tear stained cheek. 

“Okay Maddy you next is on his way, you need to push hard. One good push and you, yes, common, yes. Hello.” Elizabeth crooned. This child did not cry. “Nurse clean Maddy up and I will get the boys checked over.” She said wrapping up the child. “Maddy you did wonderful, now you have to be cleaned up, Just be patient while we check on the little guys.” 

Maddy hardly noticed the nurse tending to her just clung to Mark and held him close. “Mark how are you here? I heard nothing.” She cried. “How are you alive?” she sobbed. “My babies… Are they okay.” she now asked the nurse who was cleaning her up. 

“I am fine, nothing I can’t recover from. You alright? You were screaming.” He said seeing some more defining qualities of her face.

“Yeah, it hurts.” She sighed. “I decided not to take pain blockers.” 

He wondered why, if he had been here earlier he would have told her to take it. “How early are they Maddy?” he asked. 

“Two whole months early. But mom can work miracles. I know she can.” She whispered. 

Mark kissed her forehead. His own worry nagged at him. He wanted so much to look at the tiny creatures he and Maddy and mistakenly created. He hoped Maddy’s mother could keep them alive. He just sat holding Maddy so long that he forgot how much time passed. Maddy he could tell had passed out finally from exhaustion He could not see her but he heard when her breathing became deep. He just remained at her side. He did not sleep for fear he would miss a second of holding her in his arms, then a nurse came in an tapped him on the arm. 

“Doctor Shannon asked me to take you to see about mending and bandaging up your broken hand.” She asked. 

Mark still could make out very little visually but he sat up carefully and waked out behind the nurse who he could make out barely. He waited patiently as they bandaged his hand and gave him a little bit of pain meds. He felt his ribs ache but he just wanted to go back to holding Maddy’s hand, he did not wish her to wake up without him being there at her side. 

Now that he was back, he did not like leaving her side for even a moment.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter: 11

Maddy sat on the edge of the bed the next afternoon and looked out the hall way. Mark was out getting his eyes worked on some more so he would be able to see more and she waited for him to come back. The birth had been hard but she was sitting up and waking around some. 

Mark had been concerned about that so soon after birthing but her mother had told him it was best to move about a little. He had stayed there at the clinic through the night. He refused to go out of her room to another bed; he slept beside her holding her awkwardly though the night. 

She was content for the moment. The babies were doing alright and hanging on, and she had Mark back. 

Her father shuffled into the room. “Hey pumpkin.” Jim said nervously. 

“Hi dad.” She answered looking for her sandal.

“Look, I wanted to talk about how I have acted.” He started not exactly knowing where or what to say he decided to let go. “Mark is a real good guy. Good soldier.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously. “I was just thinking if he was half the father and husband as he is a soldier and a good guy, well then that would be alright by me.” He said finally.

Maddy looked at him blankly and blinked. 

“I am trying to say,” he hesitated again and just took a deep breath. “I accept him. I accept him asking you to be his wife.” He croaked finally. Even though he believed and felt the words it still put a bad taste in his mouth. 

Maddy stood and rushed to her father wrapping her arms around his neck, “Oh daddy, thank you.” This was the little girl he knew and he smiled thinking this would be the last gimps of the little girl he once knew and a tear came to his eye. 

Mark walked in and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the procedure that had been preformed again. The room was bright with the lights on. “Do you mind if I turn the lights down?” he asked.

Jim turned and replied. “No go ahead.”

“Daddy do you want to tell him?” she asked eagerly.

“No you can do that for me pumpkin, I think I should go. You don’t have to stay in the clinic I hear?” he asked. 

“Yeah, but the babies have to stay, and the house is such a long walk.” She said. 

“Well I think the plans should change you should get some rest outside of a clinic.” He said, “But I will leave that to think on and discuss with…..” his voice dropping off. 

“Well Mark hope you are seeing better.” He said walking toward the door. “and your ribs? Has anyone looked at them yet?” he asked. 

Maddy looked confused. “Your ribs?” she asked. 

“No sir. I have not mentioned it. I have not wished to step away.” He said stiffly. 

“Well best have someone… you know.” He said as he stepped out. “Bye honey.” He said ducking out looking embarrassed. 

Mark looked after him perplexed. “I think my sights coming back because your father looked embarrassed to me.” He said walking to her. 

“He was.” She laughed. 

“What? why?” he asked.

Maddy turned and sat back on the bed. “Just his pride… ya know?” 

“No. What was that about?” He asked again a little more seriously. “He has been acting weird around me since he and Taylor found us.” He said looking confused. 

“It’s called a change of heart. He has changed his mind.” She replied. 

“Changed his mind about us?” he asked hopeful. 

Maddy nodded her head. 

“So that means we are going to be married soon?” he asked pulling her to stand. 

“Careful.” Maddy said backing off. “Your ribs. You should have told me I hugged you tightly earlier.” She said ashamed. 

“No Maddy I needed you to hold me. It hurt but it made me feel home again.” He kissed her head. “So when can we marry?” he asked. “Sooner the better.” He smiled kissing her. 

“Uh I don’t know, I think we should wait until you look less like a war victim and we know our sons are healthy.” She answered. 

Mark smiled and kissed her. “Whatever you want.” He kissed her passionately. He could now see her facial detail and he marveled at the image. He kept his eyes open as they kissed. 

Commander Taylor strode in and knocked. “He son, just stopping by to check on the two of you.” He said. “And congratulate you on two very fine boys.” He beamed pride emanating from him. “You mother showed me them on my way in.” 

“Thank you, Commander. We have not yet named them; we have not had time to discuss it.” Mark said straightening his spine and shook his hand.

“Oh no matter, take your time, Get to know the little buggers.” Taylor smiled warmly. “I wanted you to accompany me; I have something to show you. That is if you can see well enough?” Taylor stated. 

“My sight is much improved.” Mark replied concisely. 

“If you don’t mind?” Mark asked Maddy politely. 

“Oh I don’t mind. But Mark wear the glasses when you go out. Protect your eyes.” She said handing them to him from the table. “I am going to go feed the babies.” She smiled excitedly. Her mother had said contact and feeding would help them to thrive and she was excited to try.

“Oh if you want me to stay around?” he asked eagerly, he desired to watch that intimate scene. 

Maddy blushed, she noticed the gleam in Marks eyes. “No please go ahead. But get your ribs tended when you get back.” She encouraged. 

Mark kissed her and followed the Commander out to the new part of Terra Nova. Taylor walked up to a house. 

“See this kid?” he asked. “This is your new place.” He said standing on the porch. 

“This?” he asked. “Mine?” he asked.

“Want to go inside?” The commander asked handing him the card. 

“Yes Sir, But I feel like I should wait till Maddy sees it with me.” He said finally after hesitating a moment. 

“Your call…But I have a few Extras inside to help start your life with.” He winked handing the key card off. “Have a good evening son.” He said patting him on the shoulder and walked off. 

Mark gingerly sat down and looked around him on the front step. This was his and Maddy’s house. He could not wait to bring her here. He would, but on their wedding night. 

He nodded. The wedding would be soon, he thought. 

 

(Eight weeks later)

Mark was in a daze the whole day. It was a whirl wind party and ceremony. The party went all night. He and Maddy walked hand in hand and he lead her along the path.   
“Mark. I’m tired.” Maddy wined beside him. “I thought this was supposed to be some special romantic night. Right now I am just feeling exhausted.”

Mark chuckled. They were almost at their house but she had no idea what they were actually doing. She thought he just drug her out to stare at the stars and go for a walk.   
“Mark, James and Marcus need me.” She said pleadingly. 

“You just fed them right before we left. You have a few hours.” He said kissing her to silence her, then quickly moved on. 

“Mark this is not really what I had in mind for my wedding night.” She confessed as she was dragged along the path. 

“Really?” Mark asked turning briefly but still kept walking holding her hand pulling her along. “What did you have in mind?” he asked raising his brow and flashing a crooked smile.

“A bed.” She stated plainly.

“Oh a bed…” he smiled mischievously. “What else?” he pressed keeping her moving forward. They were almost there. 

“You.” She said seductively. 

“Oh so it seems all you are missing is the bed.” He looked around. “Hold on, I think I can find us one. He said looking at his house and he smiled grinning. He made show to look like he was peeking in through the window.

“Mark. What are you doing?” she whispered. “Someone might be home.”

“Doesn’t look like anyone is home.” He said as he walked up to the door and started poking around in some pots. “Ah! Spare key.” He said grinning like a fool. 

“Mark we can’t go in there, someone might be home, or asleep.” She said watching mark slip the key in the door. 

“Come on Maddy, where is your sense of adventure?” he said holding his hand out for her. He saw her struggle to make a decision. He swept her off her feet and decided to carry her inside. 

Maddy remained silent as they entered the sparsely furnished home. “It does not look like anyone lives here.” She said looking around, she slid one door aside that lead to a bedroom. There she found two matching cradles. “Mark?” she asked pointing at the cradles. 

Mark smiled seeing the extras that the commander had sent them. He heard among the baby furniture he had also gifted them a bed. 

“Two cradles.” She stated. “Our boys are the only twins in Terra Nova.” She pieced. “This is our house.” She said hitting her new husband playfully.

“Yes Maddy, Ours.” He said draping an arm around here. “Does it meet you approval?” he asked as she entered the little nursery. 

 “You did all this? The cradles,” she said touching toys on a shelf. “The toys?” she asked. 

“No, that I can’t take the credit for.” He smiled. “Taylor did say there were a few extras inside as gifts. I just arranged for someone to drop off some breakfast in the morning, before your family brings all the boys and your things.”

“They knew about this?” she asked. 

“Just about everyone but you knew about this.” He gleamed. 

Maddy launched herself into his arms and kissed him fully on the lips. His ribs had fully healed but they did still feel tender at times if he moved strangely. 

“I can’t believe it.” She whispered. “I am your wife.” The breathed. 

“Mrs. Reynolds.” He kissed down her neck. “Come let us break in our new bed.” He said pulling her tightly into his arms. Hoping never to let go of this feeling of home again. 

“There’s really a bed?” she asked laughing.

The End. 

 

Thank you for reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really Enjoyed writing this Fan Fiction. (Especially the raptor stand of on Bloody bluff.) The scene in the Jungle where I started this story off from was a point that the two lover had finally crossed the line to physical activity, I have been there. It’s a one way train. It was only going one direction and that was to finally engage in sexual relations.And they were bound to do the deed soon… am i right? 
> 
> The age difference was a point of issue, Maddy was only 16 at the time of meeting Mark Reynolds an older (sexy) individual who truly loved and adored this underage young lady. Mark was a good kinda guy. He was not the type to seduce girls around him; he just truly had his emotions engaged when it comes to Maddy... I just tried to be realistic, both characters are good responsible people, but what happens when life throws a war, starvation, extinction and dinosaurs at you? I think you do what makes you happy. This is just one of the many ways they could have gone with the Maddy-Mark Duo.


End file.
